A Similar Story
by Mewnia
Summary: I know I can be paranoid, jumpy, unreliable, clumsy, slightly selfish, and annoying. But hey, guess what! ...well, hopefully I change. I kind of have to for what my luck has dragged me in, this time. (Self-insert, yay!)
1. 1 The Beginning

***first chapter has been edited and changed a bit you lucky newbies***

**So! Yes, this is a self insert. This is actually my first time writing in first person in a long time... I'll get better at it, I promise! It may not be as good as others, at the moment...**

**I promise, promise, promise that this really does get better! And that my character will not be a Mary Poppins, Mary Sue, whatever you call it.**

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It was a Saturday morning. The magpies were chirping as annoyingly as usual, and the AC has just barely turned on. I was laying in my bed on my left side. At first, I was enjoying a wonderful dream of me being included into the tales series - but then everything went black when a paw tapped on my cheek. I made my already closed eyes a little tighter - trying to bring back the dream. After a while, I decided that it was time to give up, and opened my sleepy eyes. A meow came from in front of me and three cats were staring.

"Lemme guess..." I began to mumble as I sat up to rub my eyes. "You're hungry..." A smile curled on to my lips as my feet swung over the side of the bed. "Fine, fine... Hello and good morning..." I shrugged my shoulders and began to walk lazily upstairs. When I had reached the top, my brown eyes fell on a piece of paper taped on the wall.

_"Maren,_

_Since you slept in, we decided to let you sleep. One of Emma's friends called for a play over, and dad and I need to do a few errands._

_Don't burn the house down,_

_Mom."_

Wonderful way to end a note. Just like how my second oldest brother, Tim, says his goodbyes. I'm very close to him, and he actually just moved out of our house. Comes back from six months in China, and announces he's moving in with his friends... I guess mom noticed I was feeling a little depressed since then, but just this is enough.

I took the note down and walked up the stairs, into the kitchen. My shoulders shrugged, again. Guess I get time to myself... Third Saturday in a row. Yeah, my family has way more stuff to do than me; way more. I mean, they just tend to make more plans, and actually try to get something done. Me? Just gonna lay down in mah bed, thank you very much.

Okay, that's not all I do. I actually do more chores than anyone in the house, and I draw with my chalk at the bottom of our really long driveway. I'm not that lazy.

"Oh! The cats need water." I mumbled to myself, reaching under the counter. After filling the small, green bowl with the liquid, I began to feed myself some food. As I did, I planned for activities to do while I'm alone. Maybe play Tales of Xillia? I should see what the extra credits is. Ugh, the lillium orb might be a pain with extra levels, huh...

"Then again..." Mumbling, I ate my cereal while watching my newly recorded shows. After that hour, I then went downstairs to get dressed. The cats followed me down like they were my minions and found places to rest as I rummaged through my drawers. I pulled out a blue shirt and put it on along with some grey sweats. Alright, now I'm ready to go sit on the couch and continue to think about the day! First, brushing my hair is probably the best thing to do before that...

As I did, each time I brushed the back of my head, my hand would always slip. I had cut my hair to shoulder length not too long ago, and so I guess I just wasn't use to it. After brushing my hair, I looked at my figure in the mirror. Honestly... I didn't like how I looked. From the front I looked cute and decent, but up close is where you can see the acne on my face. All my friends and family members say it's not as bad as I make it to be, but they kind of have to say that. They're family and friends. Acne isn't as bad as it sounds, though... Only obvious on my cheeks, which I think it makes them look a little rosier. I really do try to stay positive with myself, but I can't help but compare myself to the others who can stand the sticky make-up to hide it all. And what I don't like most is...

I looked back up in the mirror once more at how my hair was designed.

It flowed naturally, because I never cared to do it, nor did I know how. One side would flip, and the other curled under my chin. I'd also debate whether or not I should get bangs. How long has it been since I had bangs..? Nine years, I think. Since I was in 1st grade.

Eheh... Probably shouldn't rumble on like that. Wait, what am I talking about? I don't have to have a limit with what I say! _MUAHAHAHAHAHA!_

Okay, I'll stop...

After a while of staring at myself with a disappointed look, playing with the cats, and repeating how crazy I am, I walked to the family room and sat on the couch. My hand reached for the black and white remote to turn on the TV and continue to watch some shows. Nothing was on, and I had watched all of my daily shows. Guess it was time to go to Youtube. So I did, and used the remote to type in the video I wanted. It was Xillia's soundtrack that I always loved to listen to, and in the middle of it, I started to doze off.

It seemed like a blanket of darkness wrapped around me...

* * *

Meowing... No, wait. Growling?

I started to come back to my senses as I heard the cats in the front room. Ugh, was the mean kitty here..? I propped myself up onto my elbows and looked in the direction of the front door. "Cats, shut up!" I yelled and waited a few seconds. . . . Weird, that usually works, but the growling meows continued. It took me a few seconds after I stood up to realize that all _three_ cats were growling. Usually it was only Tommy doing the threatening to the stranger. Ninja would be standing in the back just in case the mean kitty were to somehow jump through the window, and Tigersocks would be curled up in some place dark. But no... All three cats.

This panicked me a little and I quickly slipped on my black and blue shoes. Next thing I did was run to the front room and look out the window.

No animal in sight.

I gave the kitties a confused look, then decided to check the forest. There did seem to be movement... So I opened the door and began to mimic the growl cats make. When I heard the rustling stop, I closed the door behind me and began walking out to the front of the porch. The movement was only coming from one area, but it was definitely moving. Quickly rushing down the stairs, I looked closer. It was blue... Light blue? And there were hints of some white, green, and... Hold on, was this a person?

Immediately, I began to feel nervous, and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. "H-Hello..?" I said after trying to calm myself down. The movement surprisingly stopped, and I could hear faint mumbling. "If you don't leave this property, I will call the cops!"

And that was the last thing I remember before I felt a blanket of darkness come over me. _But this time, it was cold..._

* * *

Darkness... That's all I remember. The moon... It was as if it was calling me- Okay, be serious. Don't quote Rise of the Guardians right now.

Owowowowowowow... My head, my head... It huuuuuuurrrrt... So much... It was throbbing, and every couple of seconds, I could feel something flow into it... "Need food..." I mumbled as I slowly began to prop myself on to my elbows, and- wait a minute.

Spiky.

Itchy.

Wha... Where was I? It was breezy, too. I opened my eyes slowly to adjust to the sun's light. . . But there wasn't any. The sky was as dark as night, stars sparkled all over. Whoa, I've never seen this many stars out before! Only when I went camping with a group of friends! Hold on, last time I checked, it was noon. How would this- oh, a dream! I fell asleep on the couch, right? Yeah, yeah, this has to be a dream!

I wonder what kind, though... Looking around the area I was in, I saw some monsters crawling in the distance. They seemed familiar... A spiked, mutant frog, a boar with a similar design only more dangerous, and a couple Eagles looking like they were on steroids... It's on the tip of my tongue, on the tip of my tongue! Ugh, why me no remember..? I was always so slow-

"I see you're awake." A deep voice came from behind me, and I froze. Ohmigosh, a guy is behind me... Was I alone with him? Th-This wasn't some... Y-You know... Lust dream everyone gets, right..? I know I'm around that age, but I was hoping I wasn't going to get one of these- "Hello? You didn't get bumped on the head too hard, right?" Crap, he needed a reply. I shook my head slightly in response and began to lift myself to my feet. The man's footsteps from behind shuffled in the itchy grass. Now that my eyes weren't as blurry, it dawned on me that I was in a field bordered by tall cliffs. A tree was next to me, and- Wait, was that tree glowing?!

I looked closer at it. Yeah, it was glowing with what looked like little specks of light coming out of it. Now I know I've definitely seen this place before... My brown eyes glanced back at the sky, and I noticed small green highlights in it. Okay, last thing to do was look at the man behind...

But there was no need to, because I felt a gloved hand tap me on the shoulder. My body jumped a little, and I yipped. The man let out a small chuckle before placing his hands behind his head. "You're sure jumpy."

I knew that voice... My head turned to face the speaker and my eyes widened.

"Alvin..?" I questioned in disbelief, and the man gave me a very confused look. However, I could tell he was suspicious.

"I don't recall giving you my name. How do you know it, kid?" Huh? Weird, usually in my dreams, the characters and I already knew each other. Guess in this dream, I get to have a little fun! Perhaps I'll make up my own little character story. I was pretty good at those. It doesn't matter what I'll say, because I know this dream won't last long. Let's see... Gotta think of something.

Oh! I got it! This might not work, but... "Oh, my brother and I have just seen you in a few towns we came across." My smile was wide, and I felt like I totally nailed that! Alvin was a mercenary, so of course he's been to quite a few towns.

Indeed he seemed like he bought it. "Ah, guess I'm famous, huh? Where's your brother?" His hand brushed back his hair, and he gave me a smirk. Maybe he didn't buy it. Great, now I need more to think of. This dream was surprisingly complicated.

"Oh! Uh, I, um- well... He's..." I hesitated, and it dawned on me. Oooooh, I could totally use that cheesy love story excuse! "We were walking through the field to get to our destination, and... I guess some monsters were upset and charged at us. My brother began to fight, but I distracted him, and the monster just-"

"Took a big bite out of him." Alvin predicted and I nodded slowly, now trying to act sad. I looked down, trying to make my hair cover my face so he couldn't see my terrible acting. Even in dreams, I wasn't the most perfect person. I could barely try to fly! "Sorry I asked." He continued, and I peeked up at him through the strands of my dark brown hair. He bought it. He bought it? Success!

A huge grin spread on my face in response. "So, um..." Crap what to say next. "Where am I?" Aaand punch myself in the face. It was obvious where I was! Holy snap-a-doodles, it was too obvious... Alvin is giving me a look probably wondering if I'm crazy!

Okay, okay, calm down. Stop bursting into random stuff. You're good, you're good...

The man before me shrugged his shoulders, holding his hands up. "Pretty sure the spirit clime would give it away." He pointed out. I slapped my forehead, looking up at the sky.

"R-Right. I'm near Fennmont? Is that the name? Or was it changed? Or is it a completely different town?" I asked, now doubting my own knowledge. What if it wasn't Fennmont? What if my mind made up a new town? I looked at Alvin for a solid answer, and he nodded with a grin.

"Jumpy and paranoid?" He suggested, and I weakly slapped his arm. The dark brunette wasn't fazed at all, and I wasn't surprised. Ugh, I'm weak even in my dreams.

However, Alvin just shook his head with a chuckle. "Well, if you have business in Fennmont the same as I do, I'd be glad to take you along. Come on."

I began to follow behind him. Then, I stopped in my tracks and gave him a curious look. "Is there a catch to this?" What if this _was_ a lust dream? Gah, stupid Maren, get that idea out of your head! You sound like a freakin' pervert! Time to throw my mind in a bonfire...

"Ah, you caught on so soon?" He asked, putting his hands behind his head and turning to look at me. Crap, was I right..? "Well, there is a catch if you put it that way. I'll lead you there for a price. Gotta protect a cute girl like you from monsters and such." I couldn't help but blush and slap myself. No one but my friends called me cute, but then again this was Alvin. And I am so not use to it, and, and ,and... Shut up.

"I-I don't have any money." I stated, and he looked at me with wide eyes for a few seconds, then turned away. Plus, I doubt I even know what gald looks like. Gold coins? That's always what I imagined, but maybe my dream would just use it as regular dollars.

"Serious? You and your, uh... Deceased never carried any around?" He asked. I shook my head, and guilt came over me. Oooohhh... I'm so sorry, Alvin, but... You'll get your payment later-

Wait a honkin' second - later! Jude and Milla! They pay off their debt in Nia Khera, right? I'll just wait untill then!

"D-Don't worry!" I replied quickly. "I'll think of something when it comes up!" Pat myself on the back, and I'm ready to go, heh... Wait, my dream might not last long to that point.

"Alright, but I'll need to know your name if I have to ask for it, later." He stated, and I looked at him, for some reason feeling hesitant.

I opened my mouth to say, but something behind the man caught my eye - and what came out of my mouth instead of my name was, "Monster! Mutant frog thing!" I exclaimed, and he quickly turned around, pulling out his sword from its sheath and slashing the monster in half. Holy cow... That was cool. And... Anti-climactic. Man, my dreams were very boring at points. Good job, let's suck all of the fun out of it!

However, this was weird. I'd imagine that the monster would just separate into the dark specs like it does in the game. Maybe I'm just wanting to be complicated? Hmmn... Weird, indeed. But let's brush that off, this dream is just sooo cool, right now! I am so going to write this in my journal when I wake up, heheheh.

"Well, little lady, let's get going." He flashed another grin and began walking towards the entrance of the town. Suddenly remembering something, I tugged on the sleeve of his coat and cleared my throat.

"It's Maren." I stated with a smile.

"Mary?"

"No, there's an 'n' sound at the end, weirdo." Why does everyone say that?

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**Well, there's the first Chapter! . . . I feel so cheesy, right now. *bows* I'm so sorry if this kind of sucked!**

**It's really hard coming up with a way to start stories off, you know? **

**I promise this does get better! It's always a rough start with everything. Please, read all chapters and see if you like it!**

**'Till then, please review and tell me what's wrong, what's okay, and if there's anything I need to fix!**


	2. 2 Alvin is now Teddy!

***chapter has been edited you lucky newbies***

**Okay! Here's the second chapter. Eheh, I've made the first two pretty short, I know. But hey! At least I got her dream thing going on in this chapter. Again, I apologize if it's a little terrible. I promise - like with all my stories - that it's going to get better.**

**Disclaimer (probably should do these...): I do NOT own Tales of Xillia or the two fanfic characters mentioned in this chapter.**

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The sight of a glowing city began to get more and more visible in the distance. I had asked Alvin what time it was, earlier, and he said it was around one in the morning. I am very surprised for Alvin to be up at that time. He always seemed like the "sleep in" kind, to me. This could explain why he always looks so tired at times... Geez, I said time so much it doesn't even seem like a word.

But why would my mind randomly choose one? Didn't make sense, except I did say random... Crap, I basically let the answer out in my own question. Heh, like a teacher.

It was nice to walk around, hearing the birds in the distance, and the slight wind blow in the glowing trees. It really was nice... But I can't handle being silent with someone near me. It's awkward, and I should probably say something. . . Actually, I probably shouldn't. My topics are always shoved to the side by my friends, and I don't think Alvin would be able to stay with me with my awkwardness. Ugh, why am I like my usual self? This dream is starting to suck.

"Why are you walking behind me?" Alvin's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I looked up only to meet his back. Oh, my habit is starting to form. My mom gave me the nickname "baby chick" because I always seemed to follow her directly behind for some reason. How do I explain that to the mercenary, though? Hmm, I guess I just use my brother for all the knowledge I have? It's possible he actually bought the story, but then again it's not.

"Uh, I had to always stay behind my brother in case a monster charged, or if he stepped in poo." I replied. Really..? Poo? I had to say that? Nobody says poo... They say poop.

Alvin just shook his head slightly and put his hands behind it. "I'm guessing everything you do is because of your brother?" I nodded. "Seems a little limited. Didn't he ever think you'd be out in the real world? What if I didn't find you?"

I'm sure this dream would have thought of something else. "Maybe a traveler would find me? All that matters is I was found by a strong man like you." The dark brunette turned to look at me with a smug look.

"You sure know how to talk to a man."

"You know how to talk to a girl. That isn't a good thing." I replied while folding my arms. Crap, this all sounded like we were flirting. Heck no! He's eleven years older than me! Ohmigosh, Maren, stop thinking like a pervert. Just keep walking, and try not to make anything awkward.

"And how is that not a good thing?" He asked, turning back around and continuing the walk.

"Be... Because of reasons." I stated.

"What reasons?"

"Reasons."

"In other words you just said that."

"Y-Yeah..." Too late, made everything awkward. Now what? Try to wake up? No, no, no! I rarely get these dreams, so I need to keep it going. Hopefully this will go long enough so I can see the cute Jude. Oh, he's so innocent, and adorable, and kind, and cute, and caring, and Jude, and...

"Hold on a second." The man said quietly, and he put his hand to the side to stop me. I raised an eyebrow and looked at him, which was only the back of his head.

Rustling came from the side of us. One of the bushes caught Alvin's attention, and he got in front of me, grabbing his sword and gun. Oh, the gun. Almost forgot he had it. . . But my dream apparently didn't. The rustling grew louder and faster, then stopped. I titled my head in confusion, and opened my mouth to speak, but a gloved hand pushed me to the side. At first, I was still confused, until the next thing I saw was sharp fangs almost puncturing my face. Alvin's gun shot the monster a couple of times around the head area before it did, but the wolf only shook the pain off to charge at the dark brunette. He slashed at it with his sword, and the monster stumbled. But it didn't look like it was slowing down.

Crap, I need to help! The mutated wolf is going to at least give Alvin some damage if I don't think of something! Wait, this is a dream, duh... I can just imagine a sword in my hand right now. Okay, focus... As I imagined what I wanted, all I could feel was something flowing into me. It was... Weird. Seemed like liquid, but something else at the same time. Ugh, I've never felt like this before! It's freaking me out! Soon, my head began to throb, and it wasn't pleasant at all.

I held my head, and as I did, I heard a small whine of defeat. Looking up, I saw the monster lying on the ground with Alvin's sword resting in its breast. Okay, ew.

"You okay, kid?" The man asked as he yanked his sword out of the corpse. I kept my hand on my head firmly, feeling the throbbing slowly go away. Was that actually real? Or am I just having headaches while asleep?

I shook my head a little, brushing away the thought. It's just a headache, I'm sure. I can stand that, and rest always makes it go away. "I'm fine." I replied after a few seconds. "Thanks for getting me out of the way."

"No problem. Wouldn't want to be responsible for any wounds, since I don't have any Apple gels with me." He stated and sat on a log covered in moss. I'm guessing he was going to clean his sword off from the blood. Again, this is weird. What did it mean when you have blood show up in a dream? I'm sure my cousin would know the answer, but I certainly don't. Hmmm, I hope it doesn't mean I'll die the next day. There goes my mind being anti-climatic, again. Geez, why am I boring? Then again, it could be that I'm half awake, right now. Well, actually, no. I don't think I've mastered lucid dreaming, yet.

I might as well rest but... Ewww, I could smell something rotten, and... Coppery? Only in stories I've read have they described something like that, and it was- wait...

"Blood..." I murmured quietly, staring at the fallen wolf. I've... Never smelled that before. It's disgusting! This dream is really starting to suck! More than usual! Okay, okay, calm down... Either this will be turning into a nightmare, or it's just adding a small plot.

_Yeah, like dreams are that organized!_

Starting to freak out, now. Starting to breathe heavier... Heart beating faster... This is turning into a nightmare.

Alvin's voice caused my eyes to quickly look at him with panic. He noticed this and gave me a concerned look. "Hey... Are you sure you're alright? You look like you saw a ghost." Holy cow, now that I think about it, his voice was clear... It wasn't fuzzy like in most of my dreams. I could feel the slight wind, and usually conversations don't go short or become awkward. Plus, the person I'm with always changes once I look away. Please tell me this isn't-

"Maren, answer me." Crap, Alvin was trying to talk to me. I looked at him slowly, and he took that thinking I had his attention. "Are you sure you're okay?" Should I tell the truth that I'm freaking out? Should I wait..? Holy snap... I also don't usually have this clear of thought... Wait, even those times when I thought the situation was weird. Alvin not knowing my name, not being able to imagine a sword, the hunger in my stomach...

My eyes glanced around the ground before giving him eye contact. Since my mind wasn't so focused on the whole dream thing, I began to notice his details. His hair was a dark brown - probably as dark as mine - and it was combed back, but slightly messy with a lock of hair falling over his face. His eyes were hazel and lazy, while he wore a long, brown jacket with tan patterns and belts. He had a white shirt underneath, and a long cloth wrapped around his neck - falling down the front of him. Lastly, he wore black pants, and knee-high white boots... Man, I just saw him as a person a few seconds ago, but now that I think about it...

Oh. My. Gosh, that fight earlier. The mutant wolf. I could have _died_. No, the blood in a dream really does mean you'll die the next day!

Okay, okay, okay... Maren, stop being paranoid. What you feel and smell in dreams is usually what you've already experienced in real life, right? That's always been my theory. Maybe I'm just having a bloody nose in my sleep. Wait... That would just mean I would feel liquid under my nose. Maybe I should experiment. What's something I haven't experienced?

My dark brown eyes focused back on Alvin, and I noticed he was getting pretty annoyed with me. I guess I wasn't answering him as much as he wanted me to. Wait, did I answer him at all? I shook my head a little then sighed nervously.

"A-Alvin..?" I began.

"Yes, princess of day dreams?" He replied, and I unconsciously glared at him. Crap, I glared at someone with a gun.

Never mind that! If this is real life - which I doubt - I'll actually feel this. "It feels like a dream without my brother..." I began. "Could you pinch my cheek so I know if I'm awake or not?"

The mercenary gave me a weird look, probably wondering why I even chose my cheek. I know what it's like to be pinched on my arms and legs, and I really didn't want my perverted mind getting any more ideas. But if this is real life, then... What do I do? I guess I just follow along the story in hopes to find a way home. Except, I would expect a panic attack or something.

I focused back on Alvin as he sighed and stood. He slowly walked over, not wanting to break my spirits about my brother not being dead. Okay, here it goes...

What did I feel next?

_Pain._

Stinging pain and teeny, tiny needles.

I let out a small whimper before he let go, and I held my cheek as my eyes grew wide. They were wide with horror and fear... Wait, those were the same thing. Oh, heck! I don't care! I'm in a world filled with monsters! This isn't a dream... This isn't a dream?! Crap, crap, crap... No, no, no! I have cats back at home to take care of, hobbies I'll miss, my chocolate milk! No, not that! Freaking out here! Breathing's heavier and faster... Heart is starting to hurt! Oh my gosh, I'm gonna _DIE_!

Apparently, Alvin had noticed my panic attack, and pulled me close. Well, this seemed out of character for him, but... I just decided to enjoy the embrace while I could. He probably thought it reminded me of my brother, but really I just needed some way to calm down. Waking up in a world that you kind of, but don't, know much about is a little scary. Even the thought of never seeing your family... It was like Tim going to China all over again. But now that I think about it, and if this really is like Xillia, Alvin could have gone through the same panic attack coming to Reize Maxia. Oh, no... I don't know anyone in this world other than the main characters. The money, the writing, the history, the geography... I'd only be able to go on their adventure if it meant having food and safety, and a chance to get back home.

"Alvin..."

"Yeah?"

"You're in my personal bubble..." I sniffled, looking up at him, and he let out a small chuckle.

"You were scaring me, sorry." He stated before letting go and sitting back on his log. I gave him a small smile, and my hand went up to my cheek only to feel something wet. Was I... Crying? That might explain more on why Alvin did what he did. I guess I'll rest for now to try and absorb everything in. From fanfictions I read, I'm pretty sure they each found their way home by following the characters. Let's see, I've only seen two, so... Samantha had to experience the whole journey, and Brittany had to have Lloyd use the Eternal Sword. Were those stories real..?

My mind began to wander off to the possibilities as I sat next to Alvin on the log. He was busy cleaning off his sword and loading his gun with bullets. Huh, makes me wonder. Where does he get more bullets? Probably from Exodus spies he occasionally meets. Or maybe he just says a magic word and they appear? Oh, like Bibity-bobity-boo! Wait, no... Alakazam? Abra-Kadabra? Or please!

No, please is boring and weird. Only say that to a being, Maren. Only to a being. But what if the item actually has a soul? It might feel like I don't care about it and-

Where did that topic come from? I guess coming up with weird topics is how my mind clears and lightens... Honestly, that panic attack earlier definitely told me this was all real. I've never had depression or anxiety, so I've never had a panic attack. It felt scary, and all of my knowledge suddenly drained and I had no idea who or where I was. Just how my cousin described it. Maybe after this journey, I'll be able to understand her more? It's a possibility, but I doubt my own thought. All this journey will carry is fear, right?

My brown eyes wandered around the area, and fell on Alvin's face. He wasn't animated or a graphic.. He was real. His features were all real, and I couldn't help but wonder how the people in this world make really complicated clothes. I mean, just look at his jacket! I only managed to make Leia's costume because I could just color on the pattern. Well, then again, I'm only fifteen. I'm not a pro at sewing.

Maybe... Maybe I could go on the journey. My only fear would be having to either fight or flight.

_And taking a life..._

The dark brunette looked at me, sighing and tearing down the wall between my mind and reality. "How long are you going to stare at me?" Ah, I was making him feel awkward. Wait, I was staring?

"N-Not for long... I didn't even know..." I replied softly, looking down at my hands in my lap. Hm, I sounded depressed. Maybe I should lighten up? Gotta stay positive and life will play through, right? Oh, here's an idea!

"Thank you for the hug, teddy." A small grin curled on my lips as all of Alvin's movements stopped. I called him teddy as in a teddy bear. He was big enough, and had the colors of one. Maybe I should call him that from now on? No, I couldn't. I wouldn't be able to remember that. I'm too use to calling him Alvin. I've heard his full name three times and still can't remember it. Yeah, my memory chooses what and what not to memorize on its own.

"Teddy..." He mumbled, looking back at his sword and continuing to clean it. "Never been called that before."

"Well, think of it as revenge for calling me Princess of Daydreams." I elbowed him a little and a grin spread on his own face. We sat in silence, but this time it wasn't awkward.

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**There we go! All done! MUAHAHAHAHAH okay, no.**

**Yeah, sowwy if Alvin got a little out of character with a hug part. *sweat drop* I just didn't know what else he'd do other than shake my shoulders and yell at me. . . . Maybe I should have done that. Anywaaaaay...**

**Till then, please don't (mentally) hurt me if I do anything stupid! And please review to tell me if there's anything I need to fix!**


	3. 3 Meet the Medical Student

**YAY long chapter! Honestly, the next couple might be uploaded pretty fast. I already have rough drafts in my journal for english... Heh, I'm weird. **

**Anyway, this chapter actually shows up with a few things that (I hope) will get your mind spinning.**

**Disclaimer (I should probably do these): I do not own anyone except mahselph.**

* * *

My eyes opened, and I nearly jumped at the sight. A field, glowing trees, and what looked like monsters in the distance? Where am I?! I thought I was-

Then it hit me, and I sighed with exhaustion. Right... Now I remember. I'm in Reize Maxia, for some odd reason. Alvin had found me unconscious in the field, and I thought this was all a dream. I almost wanted it to be a dream... Living in a world you didn't grow up in is risky and dangerous.

"You awake, now?" A deep voice sounded from the side of me. I looked up to find Alvin sitting next to me, and rubbing his shoulder. "You know, you're very heavy when you're asleep." He continued and I weakly slapped his arm.

A grin curled on my lips. "Are you implying that I'm fat?" I said in a pouting tone. I obviously wasn't. I mean, I'm only a hundred pounds for a fifteen year old. . . Yeah, I need to stop running up and down the driveway.

"Seriously? That's what that sentence told you?" His hazel eyes rolled a little before focusing back on me.

I laughed slightly in reply and stood up to stretch. Man, I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep, already. "How long was I out?" I asked after letting the small blood rush do its job of making my headache worse.

"About three days."

"Three days?!"

The man chuckled, waving his hand slightly as he stood. "Nah, just kidding. More like three hours."

I huffed a little, and folded my arms. Ugh, curse me for being so gullible... Alvin's definitely going to take advantage of that.

"I don't remember falling asleep." I stated after I unfolded my arms.

"Well, you kind of fainted."

So I fell on the ground? Explains the ache on my back... Let's see, right now, it would be about four in the morning. I have a small feeling that today is when Jude and Milla meet each other. That's probably at a time where everyone's awake. "How much longer to Fennmont?" I questioned.

"About four hours." He replied, and my shoulders slumped. And he didn't think that carrying me on his back would have been a good way to keep moving? Oh, snap it. Alvin, why didn't you do that?

"Soooo... I made you lose time?" I mumbled, rubbing the back of my head.

"Not at all. My business happens around the time I get there and that's that."

Nooooooo, I wanted to have enough time to check out the city! I know I won't be able to rest once the drain cage is demolished. I wonder if I'll see them on the water. If I don't, I might have to swim to the drain. I mean, I can't just waltz in through the front door, right? Hmm... Where does Alvin go? He might have to separate from me if he thinks I'll be going to the medical school.

Eventually, I stretched my arms and legs, doing a slight jog. Oh, boy... Not going to look forward to nature.

"Well, then let's get going." I said as I began to walk in circles. "The earlier you get to work, the earlier you finish, right?"

The man let out a small chuckle before stand up. "Yeah, guess that's an option. You sure are an interesting one."

"Thank you." I replied, and we both began to walk towards the glowing city in the distance. It sure looked close, but by what Alvin said, this is going to be a long walk. Ugh, I'll have to get in the habit of walking for a long time. Guess that recent trip to San Francisco without a car was only a fraction of what I'll be feeling. Great. We'd always leave the hotel at nine and then get back around eleven at night! My feet would be aching so badly, I'd fall right on the couch and fall asleep. I wish I was the one who got the bed in that room, but my sister got in there first.

Wait, if I'm going to be going on the journey, I'll have to think of a weapon to have along the way. I could think about that if Alvin and I don't talk for a while. My first choice would be to cast, if I was at home and designing my own character. I was always playing as the character that heals or casts when I was helping Emma fight bosses. Guess it was just more fun, because you could hit the enemy from a far-away angle. But, won't I need a mana lobe for that? I'm from Earth so I don't have one, just like Alvin. Maybe I could resort to a sword..? No, wait, I don't think I could handle being up close to an enemy... Especially an exodus agent. Man, those guys were always so deadly up close.

"So, those clothes you're wearing..."

My head perked up, quickly. Crap, my clothes, my shoes!

Alvin had placed his hands behind his head as he turned slightly to look at me in the eyes. "They don't seem very... Native. Where'd you get them?"

Crap, crap, crap, think of something! "Oh, um... These rags? My brother only had enough money to buy two kinds of fabrics, a long time ago." How would I explain the shoes? Well, if he ever asked about them. It was good that my clothes already looked dirty enough. Probably from being unconscious on the nasty ground.

Alvin had just nodded his head a little, trying to think it over. His face was serious, and that scared me.

Then a grin spread on his face. "They have a lot of fur on them." I immediately looked at my shirt. Wait, there was fur? Oh! Probably from my cats... Eww, it looked gross in this lighting. Look at all the black hairs all over the blue. Very attractive, Maren.

I tried getting each hair off, but they stuck to some of the mud on the fabric. The mud was dry, and refused to come off, as well. After a while of frantically trying to clean myself, I let out a defeated sigh. There was no hope. My eyes wandered the field, instead, trying to find something to talk about.

"S-So, Uh... Is this the only field we have to cross?" I asked, mentally slapping myself for the stupid topic.

"Yeah, each field takes at least eight hours to cross."

"When did you start to cross this one?"

"Around nine." He shrugged, and my jaw dropped. Geez, did he sleep for a whole day or has he not slept at all? I'm probably going to have to do that later on...

We both went silent, once more... Curse it... I'm awkward. It's official.

During the time of silence, I would twirl in circles as we walked, or skip as high as I could go with an Alvin giving me weird looks the whole time. I was very tempted to ask Alvin if he could carry me on his back, but I didn't want to get in the way of that giant sword of his. And wouldn't that be rude..? I was asleep for a while, so my feet got some rest - his probably didn't. At points, I'd even start pointing out the obvious in my stitch voice like, "Look at the glowing tree over there." Or, "I can count all the stars in the sky!" And start counting. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I annoyed Alvin pretty badly.

I continued my obnoxious actions until we finally reached the entrance to the city. Policemen were scattered all over it, and Alvin had to tell a few lies for us to get in safely. After passing all that, we crossed the bridge into the public. People were already giving me weird looks, and I felt really self-conscious.

"You know where to go?" Alvin asked when we stopped to look around. I gave a small nod, and bowed slightly.

"Thanks for helping me." I said, and he ruffled the top of my head with a grin. Then, the dark brunette began to walk towards another bridge, and turned towards me for only a few seconds to say,

"I look forward to retrieving my reward!" And walked off. I'm guessing he went towards the inn. Weird, maybe he needed to do something there.

I shook my head and looked around for any boy clad in blue. Maybe he would pass by at some point? My brown eyes skimmed the area before I wandered to the public square. I stood in front of the centerpiece in the middle of it all. It was like a giant, bronze lily... Always caught my attention in the game, and now it's real! Where's my phone when I need it?

Some time passed as I sat on a nearby bench to think about what I was voluntarily getting into. Blood, violence, swearing, headaches, possibly sickness, more aches, lying, making friends... It was all so sudden, I still couldn't believe this wasn't a dream.

I shook my head, pinching my own cheek and feeling the familiar sting. Then, I stood up from the bench and began to walk back over to the giant lily. Except, halfway there, a slight force bumped into me, making me stumble a little. I looked at the source only to have my body freeze, mind stop, and eyes to widen.

A young boy clad in dark blue stood before me. His small smile sent an unfamiliar chill down my spine.

"Sorry about that, I'm in a slight hurry." He stated before jogging past me with a small wave.

When he was out of my sight due to the crowd, I felt as though my whole body melted on the ground. Jude... He was even cuter in real life. I've never felt that before. He's so kind - not many people apologize for bumping into others. I looked okay to him, right? My hair wasn't messy? I didn't have a dumb look? Ohmigosh, I hope I looked alright...

Wait, stop! I bonked my head and slapped myself. He falls in love with Milla, and I need to follow him! Crap, I might have missed something from being lost in my thoughts!

I stood still for a moment, trying to see if my body was willing to move again. Eventually, I began to speed walk towards the bridge Jude had crossed. It was long and wide, but I made it to the end. . . Only to see even more bridges. I looked at each one, not recognizing any of them from the game. I took the one on the right to meet a dead end. Crap, I know I've just wasted fifteen minutes or so...

I quickly turned back, and a small smoke line was in the air. My feet walked faster towards it, and I looked over the edge. There were stairs that led down to the water, and at the end of the water way was where the smoke came from. A relieved smile curled on my lips as I ran down the steps. Where the smoke was coming from, there was the waterway. The cage had been destroyed, and I swear I had seen a figure go farther in. Alright, now I need to get in. But... How? I don't wanna swim in this water! Ewwww...

Okay, I know, I'm not going to get anywhere with that attitude. Just test the water's temperature...

When I went to put the tip of my shoe in the water, it had landed on something solid. At first, I freaked out, pulling my foot back, but then I looked closely. Light blue patterns began to form on the water towards the drain, and my jaw dropped with disbelief. Why are these appearing..? Surely, Undine isn't anywhere near me, right? That would be crazy!

My mind started jumbling together possibilities, but then I slapped myself. Get it together, take advantage. Yeah, just take advantage.

So I did, and I quickly jumped onto the floating patterns. My body stopped and my eyes widened with amazement. I was on top of water... I could defy physics! This is so cool!

After a while of standing there enjoying the moment, I hadn't realized that it went silent. I looked over at the drain, realizing the steps in the water had stopped. Immediately, I ran to the drain to climb in in order to catch up with Jude. My hands slipped a little before they got a good grip to pull me up. The water was about a foot deep, and it was hard to trudge through it around the parts where it drained. My feet slid, and I rarely looked up.

For a while, all I could here was the echoes of my own swishing footsteps. Swish, swish, swish... I began to count how many echoes came from each step to entertain myself.

_Swish, swish, swish, swish..._

Four.

_Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish..._

Five.

_Swish, swish, swish..._

Three.

_Swish, swish-_

_**Tap...**_

I stopped for a moment, freezing in place. What was that sound? It sounded like regular footsteps... Was I near a platform?

_**Clank...**_

Metal?

"You there!" A voice echoed, and my frozen body froze even more. Is he talking to me..? No, I didn't see anybody nearby.

"Why are you down here?" The voice continued, and I kept my mouth shut.

"I'm sorry, I just wandered in here." A second voice sounded, and my eyes widened.

"Is that so? Well, since you apologized, I guess I won't have to turn you in. I'll lead you out. Want me to get your parents?"

"Actually, my parents are in another town."

I knew that was Jude... It had to be. His Flynn-like voice was unmistakable. I slowly walked up to the corner ahead of me and peaked around.

"Well, then that's good news to me." The guard in front of the medical student replied as he pulled out his weapon. Jude had taken a step back in surprise as he dodged a thrust from the figure. I continued to watch as Jude even did a small Demon Fist to knock the poor guy over. However, the enemy didn't give up, and got right back on his feet. I panicked, unconsciously jumping out from behind the corner. Fortunately, this caught both of their attentions.

"I sure hope you're ugly under that helmet!" I shouted, stopping afterwards to scold myself. "Your voice sounds ugly enough!" Oh, I'm so mean...

On the good side, he wasn't planning to stab Jude anymore. The bad side? He wasn't planning to stab Jude anymore... I jumped a little as the guard began to charge at me across the platform. I quickly put my hands up in front of my face to block the oncoming attack, and backed up behind the corner. A stupid decision, I know, but it was a reflex!

I stood there, still with my back against the wall. My mind was spinning, heart beating rapidly. But it all stopped when I heard a grunt of pain, and what sounded like metal hitting the ground. I turned around the corner...

"Thanks for doing that." Jude said with a smile that just about made me explode. His glove-covered hand reached down to help me up the slippery stairs. Ohmigosh, I'm actually seeing him. I'm in his presence! His hand is holding mine! *Add squeal here*

Okay, okay... Calm down, Maren. You don't want him thinking you're crazy.

"Y-You're welcome." Gah! Unfortunately, I can't keep my face from blushing. Then I slumped... "I can't believe I said that to him."

"It was a little harsh." He commented, and my shoulders lowered even more. "But it at least helped." What a relief! I thought he was going to hate me or something. Oh, he's just so cute, and- Maren, shut up.

Being gathered in my thoughts really is a bad habit. Before I knew it, a hand was waving in front of my face. I focused my eyes on the teen, and titled my head.

"S-Sorry, I zoned out. Did you say something..?" I asked quietly, and he sighed with a slight smile.

"Yes. I was wondering why a civilian like you is doing down here." He said, and I raised an eyebrow with a smile. He's one to talk, and I guess he realized what that look meant. Jude scratched his cheek, mumbling a slight apology. "Let me explain. There was this girl-"

"Saw the whole thing." I lied. Well, it's not a complete lie. I already know what happened. Jude's eyes widened in shock, and I continued, "You could say I came in because of curiosity?"

"So you already know why, then..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess what I say next won't surprise you. You need to go back home. I'm afraid I won't be able to keep you from getting hurt..." Yeah, that really wasn't surprising. Alright, time to put my excuse to work.

"But I'm looking for professor Haus just like you..." I countered, folding my arms. "And didn't I just help you..?"

He put two of his fingers to his temple, closing his eyes. "That so... You're looking for professor Haus, like me. How did you know it was me and to come here?"

Crap, Uh... "When I got there, someone told me his number one student went to get him." So far so good... "And when I got to the building, the guards said they just brushed someone off looking for the same person."

"And that's when you saw me and that girl." I nodded to confirm his prediction. A few seconds of silence passed before a smile spread on Jude's face. "Well, I'm Jude Mathis. A student of Professor Haus."

"Maren." I smiled back, and we both began to trudge onward through the yucky water. Ohmigosh, he's going to start saying my name! I am so happy! I seriously doubt this whole adventure will scar me how others describe.

_Oh, how wrong I was..._

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**See? See? I told you it was long! :3 Okay, it wasn't as long as you'd expect... But two extra chapters! *laughs nervously***

**Yay, Jude's come in!~ You can already tell who I fangirl over in this game... Yeah...**

**So, the next chapter will probably be just as long.**

**Please review! Pweeze..? I wanna know how good this is so far so I can continue!**


	4. 4 Meet the Lord of Spirits herself

**Hey, peeps! I'm back with a new chapter!**

**I'm getting pretty upset at myself with making short ones... Maybe I'll start making them longer. However, that would mean these would be uploaded pretty slowly. It's going the same with my story A Messed Up School. Making those chapters longer and more steady. :D**

**Anyway, Disclaimer: I have no owner-boats-ship-washtub- whatever over Tales of Xillia! **

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With each step, I had to resist the urge to vomit…

The sewage area was actually more complicated than how the game portrayed. Plus, not only was there one guard at the beginning, there were even more… Great, just our luck. I had met Jude not too long ago – only about a few corners back. This entire situation would have felt like a dream if there wasn't disgusting, freezing cold water flowing rapidly against my feet. Ugh, I hate the cold. It's always been a bother, and it was never really the right temperature for me in the autumn back home. It was weird because it was chilly, but we're not in Chili eating chili. . . Heh, see what I did there?

Jude and I continually stopped at each corner to carefully look around. If it was clear, we'd continue. If it wasn't then I'd get out, and do any kind of distraction that came to mind. If the guard wasn't paying attention, Jude would Demon Fist him. One of the times, I pretended to be Finn from Adventure time shouting "Naked babies." Yeah, that won a strange look from Jude. But it confused the guard!

Eventually, we reached the ladder that I knew was the way out. We finally get to get out of this nasty water… So, we climbed the ladder carefully, trying not to slip. I had gone first because Jude said he would catch me if I fell. Aw, wasn't that cute?

Crap, don't think about that. Just open the hatch.

I looked at the steel door just a few inches from my face and pressed my right hand against it. I grunted, putting effort into trying to at least get a crack. It didn't open…

"Snap it…" I hissed through my teeth and got up a couple more steps to press my shoulder against it.

"You okay up there?" I heard the teen say, and my reply was the door opening just a crack. I let out a slight cheer of joy and continued my effort. Once I got the hatch open enough to slip through, I quickly got up onto solid floor, holding it open for Jude to come up. We sat down to dry out our clothes as much as we could, and looked around the area.

"This place is huge!" I exclaimed as my eyes widened. It was way bigger than how the game said it was… Seriously, it's roomier.

"Yeah…" The medical student agreed, and stood up. "Big enough to hide a professor." I stared at him for a while, and decided to stand, as well. We both walked a little ways away from the hatch, and Jude stopped. As curious as I was, I looked at him and found that he was staring. Oh… Oh, wait. Crap. "A girl..?" He mumbled, and I felt my stomach twist a little. Agria… I forgot. She's insane. I looked up at the door Jude had been staring at only to see a blur of red go in. Great, she's not going to be very fun to see.

"Let's go see if that's where the professor could be." Jude's request pulled me from my thoughts as we began to walk up the stairs. At the top, I heard the familiar sound of metal. We both looked away from the door above to meet another guard. "How many more do we have to run into?" The medical student said with a bit of sadness before getting in a fighting position. I guess he felt guilty for knocking these guys unconscious. Especially if this one was… A girl.

The guard saw us and charged. I hid behind a pole as Jude charged forward. As I watched the mini battle, I viewed each arte the two did. Maybe if I learn some spirit artes, I could be able to fight. But I don't have a mana lobe… Man that sucks.

A grunt reached my ears and I looked over. Jude had put the guard unconscious, and when I walked further, he had an uneasy look on his face. He knocked out a girl, after all. Probably was thinking he was giving her the wrong idea. However, in a few seconds that uneasiness faded, and he turned towards me.

_Eh?_

"Maren, we need to do something just in case we get into even more trouble." Heh, yeah. We'll get into more trouble, alright… For the rest of the year- crap, he's still talking. "There might be a lot of people attacking us. Maybe we should get you to at least have some kind of defense or offense if I need help." Oh, no… My thoughts were answered. Now I'll definitely know this isn't a dream once I start fighting… Adrenaline will be coursing through my veins.

I hesitated slightly. "Will I be doing martial arts like you?"

"N-No, actually I was thinking you could use the sword this guard has. After all, I doubt we both have any money to buy you a proper weapon."

I looked down at the unconscious female noticing the strap around her waist with a sheath - and the sword that was held loosely in her hand. Bending down, I hesitantly pulled the pointy object out of her grasp. It had a weight, but it wasn't too heavy. Guess you could expect that from the female owner. I swung it around a few times, trying not to cut Jude, and eventually walked down to her waist.

"I'm guessing I should get the sheath, too?" I questioned, reaching over to unbuckle the belt.

"I doubt you want to hold the sword around in your hands."

Taking that as a yes, I put the belt around my waist and attempted to sheath the sword. It missed… "Crap..." Missed, again. "Crap." And again… "Crap!" Till finally Jude had to come over to help make my hand steady. Am I going to use a sword from now on..? I might… Oh, hey! This belt has a small bag on the side. That'll come in handy.

While I stared at the bag, my eyes wandered to the hilt of the sword. Wait, a sword… My heart began to beat faster, and I quickly looked up at Jude. "Will I have to stab anyone?" I asked, fearing what happened in the fanfictions I'd read. Killing in order to live… The smell of blood, the thought of killing a father, son, brother… I was holding a sword, Jude just has his feet and fists. With the wrong amount of space between me and the target, I could kill them without meaning to!

"Only if they're planning to do the same." Jude said after a few seconds of silence. "The guards in this place, I… I don't think it's right to just kill them." I looked up at the med student in surprise. I didn't think he'd say that. Then again, he's the same age as me… He still has a positive outlook on life. He hasn't travelled with Milla, yet, so he doesn't know whether to kill the enemy or not. I envy how he's decided on just one way to finish the fights… I bet I'll be envying him this entire journey.

"O-Oh, um… Then I'll follow your example." I said, trying to force a smile on my face to distract me from depressing thoughts. "I do know a few things from my brother." Okay, that's not a lie. At home, he'd always do these fake fights of his where he'd start punching, but when he hit, it was light. We'd both start doing it, trying to poke the other's side for a win. I always lost, of course… Never focused enough.

"You have a brother?" He asked in surprise. "Where is he?"

"He's being digested…" I mumbled in a sad tone, and that definitely made the poor boy freeze. It took a lot of my might not to laugh at his face. I mean, that would be rude right? So, I looked away so he wouldn't see my grin. Digested… That was a weird way of putting it.

Eventually, Jude came to the conclusion and looked down. "I'm sorry for your loss…" Oh, wait, now I was feeling bad. So bad that I patted his shoulder, giving him a smile. Aren't I a good child?

He smiled a little back, and hopefully understood I had nothing against him. I could never have anything against him… He's too cute-

I slapped myself which earned a confused look from Jude. Shaking my head, I waved it off, and we continued along the platform. As we went up the stairs, I noticed how Jude kept sharing glances at me. Weird, I wonder why. Maybe because I was coming out as a "weirdo" to him. Honestly, he's a pretty big weirdo himself when it comes to certain things. I can't wait until we get him into the Ice Caverns. Heheh.

When we reached the door, the teen pressed a light green button on the wall. Surprisingly – only to him - it slid open. Jude leaned in first, noticing how dark it was. There were light green tubes on the sides, and I swear I felt a chill go down my spine. It was really dark… My hand hovered over the hilt of my sword just in case, and I had lost control of my shaking. I knew what was next… But Jude didn't have a clue.

Both of us walked in further, and the door shut behind us. I jumped, but felt a gloved hand on my shoulder. "Stay close…" I heard the teen say, and I let out a small mew in response.

Now it really was dark, and his orange eyes glanced around with my brown ones. We both began to calm down, and make our backs straight.

_Until we heard a thud._

I looked over in horror, knowing what it was. The tube was filled with glowing, green liquid. What was in that liquid caused the both of us to yelp with fright. It was a man who wore a white clinic coat. His eyes seemed to open a gate to pain and death, while all of his veins were visible through his wrinkly skin. You could tell that slowly his color was fading away… This wasn't graphics… This was real life, and man did I believe that statement.

"P-Professor..?" Jude managed to say, and I could tell his body was trembling with fear.

"Professor Haus…" My mouth moved unconsciously. The man's eyes widened as if they weren't already, and he continued to weakly hit the glass. A suffering, muffled voice spoke, and we could barely hear it…

"I was… Deceived… Hel…p… me…" Oh, no… Here it comes. "M-My mana… is… a-already-" Before he could finish his sentence, his mouth dropped open. It stayed that way until his body completely disintegrated into the green water. Jude and I stood in shock and horror, then the rest of the lights came on. There were even more in the same state… This isn't funny, this isn't something to just feel bad about. This is something to fear.

"Hey, hey, now…" A voice that had a sadistic tone sounded through the room. "Are you the trespassers I heard about?"

"Oh, no…" I grumbled allowed as Jude stumbled back, still shocked. We both looked up to a platform above to find a girl with white, long hair, and a short, red dress laced with black feathers. She had the most insane look on her pale, freckled face…

"I see you saw this marvelous piece of work." She muttered, glaring down.

Jude seemed to gather his composer, and stepped forward. "What's going on here? Why the professor?!" He exclaimed. "Y-You-"

"Hah! Those faces! I can hardly resist myself!" She sung with amusement haunting her voice. "Fall into despair!" Her pale hand reached behind her only to pull out the most whacked out sword I have ever seen. I really don't feel like describing it…

Jude ducked as the girl jumped down to land behind us. I pulled my sword out of its sheath just in case, but backed up behind the medical student. Agria grinned wildly as she charged. Jude blocked, but didn't have enough strength, and was forced back on top of me. The collision with the ground knocked the air out of me, and Jude really didn't help with trying to recover. I felt as though my back was bruised, and my brain had been shook out of place. When I looked over the boy's shoulder, I saw her get closer. The insane grin was still plastered on her face as she raised the sword, bringing it down towards us.

The teen quickly picked up the sword I guess I dropped, and held it up. He struggled to resist the pressure from the girl's own, but grunted as he added some, himself. However, he sneezed…and she managed to fling the sword out of his hands.

"Is that really all you got?" The sadistic tone haunted the words that came out, sending a chill down both of our spines. "Why the heck are you so calm?" She raised her weapon once more, but the door slid open.

A woman with long, goldish-brown hair with a green highlight stood at the entrance. Her eyes were magenta, and her clothes were rather revealing. Thankfully, the important parts were covered.

"It's you!" Jude said with relief, and I sighed with the same feeling. Milla Maxwell, the second main character.

"Ohoh!" The girl in red exclaimed with delight, turning towards the woman. "You must be the trespasser I heard about!" Jude and I stumbled to our feet, knowing a fight was going to start. "These two are beginning to bore me. So, I'll settle for killing you!"

As Milla reached for her sword, Jude shouted, "Run!" But Agria pushed him into me, again. I let out a grunt, trying to resist his weight. We both watched as she charged at the blond, but was blown back by a powerful Wind Blade. Whoa… That was pretty cool. I'm pretty tempted to just pull out a bowl of popcorn.

However, Agria just got back up, stomping with rage. "I'll rip that pretty little face of yours to pieces!" She hummed, charging again.

"I'd prefer you didn't." Milla replied as she put her hand out in front of her, a red sign appearing. Next thing I know, a giant, flaming ball of fire erupted, and a red figure shot a powerful blast of the element at the girl. She fell unconscious, and it roared. I glanced at Jude, seeing his eyes widen in confusion.

"Is that Efreet?!" He took a step back in surprise. Milla looked at him, and swiped her hand to the side – the figure disappearing. Then, she nodded in reply.

"You are correct. The great spirit of fire."

"Amazing…" I mumbled with awe. This is so cool! I… I saw Efreet! A summon spirit! *whistles* That is a major accomplishment in my life. I squealed a little, and that made Milla's head turn towards me.

"Who's this?" She questioned, and it took all of my mental (and physical) strength to keep me from shrieking with joy. She wants to know my name! Holy cow, this is so cool! Wait, wait, wait… What if I just come out as crazy or… Boring? That wouldn't be good, especially since I know I have to go with these guys.

"Maren-" I blurted out only to cover up my mouth. My face flushed with embarrassment, expecting to hear her laugh or say I'm awkward. However, when I looked up, she didn't seemed fazed. Her magenta eyes were cold with disproval as she moved from me to Jude.

We struggled under her gaze. "I thought I told you to go home. Unless you live here, but I doubt that possibility."

"Sorry about that…" Jude muttered as he looked down. I inched closer to the teen as if I was just going to crawl in a hole. He looked at me for a few seconds, then fixed his gaze back on Milla. Figures, she was already looking at one of the tubes. Her mumbles went on, and I listened closely.

"-isappearances. It's sucking mana from them." Weird, that's a new voice. It did sound familiar… Undine, maybe..? But how can I hear her?

"The work of the Spyrix?" Milla said loud enough for the two of us to hear. Jude questioned her, and she continued to mumble on. All I was focused on were the voices out of nowhere. I glanced at Jude to find any hint of him hearing them, but it sure didn't look like it…

"There are a lot of spirits dying in this area." Sylph?

"Could it be connected to the disappearance of the lesser spirits, then?" The blonde questioned with a hand to her chin. Again, Jude questioned her.

"Y-You're losing me. Disappearing spirits?"

"Disappearing? Are they being kidnapped?" I asked in a (terribly fake…) innocent tone. Milla's brow furrowed, and she turned around towards us. I could tell she didn't like our questions.

She took a deep sigh before saying, "You really need to go home. I don't think I'll be able to rescue you again if you're in trouble."

She was right, if I didn't already know what was going to happen. Heh, we'll get in trouble, but someone will swoop on in to save us. That's the fate of main characters. They conveniently- no, this isn't a game. This isn't just some story. What happened to doctor Haus was proof enough that this wasn't just something on the screen with really good graphics. His death was more horrifying than I thought it would be… Ew… Veins…

"The Spyrix must be somewhere else." I heard Milla say, and the two of us looked over with confusion.

I heard Jude mutter under his breath, "There's that word, again…" and had to stifle a laugh. Oh, sometimes he was so clueless… Wait, I should give him a break. Ugh, knowing things others don't makes it hard to not roll your eyes when they don't get it. Like math.

"Ah, wait! Hold on a second!" Jude said, stepping away from his job as my protective wall. Milla was already beginning to head out the door, and turned by Jude's request. When those cold eyes landed on him, he began to feel hesitant. Come on, Jude… Say it. We need to go with her. "We're… Uh, kinda trapped here. If the professor were with us, they could let us out, but… Could we come with you?" Aw, he was already including me in. Then again, he has to. He can't just go, 'I'm going to leave. You find your own way out.'

Those cold eyes began to warm a little, and she let out a small laugh. "I see. If you stick with the person who saved you, then you won't need any more saving. Clever boy." Our stances seemed to straighten, but Jude's was with relief. He looked over at me with a smile before walking up to Milla to shake hands.

"Boy? You don't look that much older than me." I pretended to cough into my hand while smoothly saying "20," as well. Of course, I looked up, and the two only gave me weird looks. The medical student shook his head with a smile, and turned towards Milla, once more. "My name's Jude Mathis. You already know Maren, over there."

"Milla." She replied, and shook the boy's hand. "Milla Maxwell. You two are very cute siblings."

"S-Siblings..?!" Jude stumbled back with surprise, and I swear I looked like my eyes were going to pop out. We looked at each other, remembering the conversation earlier. How the heck did she seem to think we were siblings? We looked nothing a like! "W-We're not-"

She let out a soft laugh before turning back towards the door. "Do not worry. I read in a book that humans can be quite sensitive with family matters." And with that, she went out.

Jude sighed, looking at me with a defeated look. "And that's exactly why I need to tell her we're not… I don't look like your brother, do I?"

"Well, he does have pretty dark hair." I replied, and we both walked after the woman. Luckily, the Lillium orb scene didn't happen. That sure was nice. I really don't want to hear more things I already knew, and be forced to pretend like I had no knowledge. Why was I trying to keep the fact that I was from earth a secret? Well, actually the perfect time to say that is when Alvin explains his story. Then, everyone would be prepared for the weird possibilities. And the foreknowledge… That would be dangerous. They would come to me for answers instead of doing it themselves, and then none of them would have character development!

"You humans make the strangest faces." Milla's voice brought me back to reality. "Even when you're just thinking… Interesting." She was bending down in front of me with a hand to her chin. When I finally got focused, I noticed how uncomfortably close she was. I backed up a bit to stand behind Jude. "Hm. Do you always hide behind others?"

"So far, yes." The student commented with a smile. I gave him a pouting face, and it only made the smile on his face get bigger. "It's something she's done the entire time we've been in here."

The two continued talking about similar things, and Jude going on of how children of his patients would do the same, blah, blah… My mind just decided to zone out, instead. I have a sword on my hip… This sure is weird. I never made any plans in my life to pick up an actual sword and swing it around. It made me nervous. I was already as paranoid as I could get with a butter knife. Dude, it hurts BAD if you get cut with those. And forks can actually stab your tongue if you're not paying attention. Spoons can help you know if you have bad breath, too- Why am I on these topics? I started out with talking about the sword on my side. Let's go back to that.

I continued to loop things around my head as I stared at the two in front of me. Milla hugged Jude, and I immediately knew the skit going on. Milla was going to say which book she read about this from, yatta, yatta… Okay, away I go from the world. Man, just how easily can I get distracted..? It can be very useful when something boring is going on, but other times my distracted mind can be a nuisance.

I continued walking with my head in the clouds, until I felt a painful force hit my head. Confused, I looked up, and saw a huge door in my way.

"I tried to warn you." Milla said from behind. "Did you think it would just open?"

"Ah- n-no, I…" I stuttered a little, and walked over to Jude and the spirit. "I just wasn't paying attention."

"Yes, that explains, then." She put her focus back on the door, then held up the card key she must have picked up from Agria. Crap, this was where we would tumble into the water at a really high height that could kill you.

She put the card key in the slot, and the door slid open slowly. The Lance of Kresnik in clear sights.

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**Sooooo, this was actually really close to 4,000 words. Yay! I'm getting better!**

**Okay, so more of OC Maren's predicament is coming into play. Yes, confusing things will be ****occurring more often on this lovely adventure! *rainbows* . . . Someone save me from myself.**

**Anyway, Next chapter will take a long time, but definitely be longer! Till then, please tell me how good this is so far :3**

***immediately pulls up Microsoft Word***


	5. 5 We get to sail the sea!

**Yay! Chapter 5! To be honest, I got to nine pages on Microsoft Word with this only being 4,700 something words. I decided I would just upload it while I still have the computer! :D **

**Anyway, this chapter I think will end the terrible laboratory... Ugh, I really hate that place. This will have more free writing in it, I hope it's not sucky and that the characters are in character. So! Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Pretty obvious what I do and don't own.**

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"Here we go…" I muttered silently as Milla opened the door. The three of us walked into a giant room, and I mean giant! There was a round platform in the middle with a bridge connecting it to the entrance. And what made me feel really nervous was the rapid flooding water below us going down probably tons of feet…

After each of us looked around, Jude's orange eyes settled on the giant machine in the middle. "What is that..?" He questioned with disbelief in his voice.

"A spyrix weapon." Milla replied. "I knew it." We each advanced forward, and I couldn't help but feel smaller and smaller as we got closer. There was a screen with writings on it, and a keyboard below. In a hole between the screen and keyboard was a flat, sphere-shaped, glowing green item. Stupid Kanji, why won't you let me read you?

Jude walked up to the keyboard and slowly began typing. I could tell he wasn't too use to this kind of technology, but he caught on quick as he began to type faster. More letters appeared on the screen, and I walked next to him as he said, "The 'Lance of Kresnik?' That's the name of the sage from the Genisis Age." Then, an unfamiliar sound came from behind us, and we both turned around. "Huh..? What are you doing?!" He exclaimed towards Milla.

Milla held her hands close, out in front of her, and then swerved them in a form to make a light blue "yin-yang" with four empty circles. Her arms stretched to her side horizontally, then in front vertically. Where her hands stopped were symbols of red, blue, yellow, and green.

"So, this is what humans call irony. Naming this weapon after Kresnik." She mumbled before she forced her hand in the middle of the circle. I'll tell her the problem with the way she used irony later. "We must destroy that which harms man and spirit!" Immediately, four figures appeared around her, and I nearly fainted. The Great Spirits! Holy snickerdoodles!

Jude and I both took a step back as I stole the first part of Jude's line. "Those are the Four Great Spirits!"

"So that really makes her Maxwell?!" He finished in a just as surprised voice as I did. Milla let out a battle cry, and the four spirits gathered around the machine in a flash. They each fired a beam and created a circle above the machine. We stepped back behind Milla for safety. This is really cool to see in real life.

As we watched in amazement, a familiar figure walked up to the controls on the balcony above us. Her pale, freckled hand slammed down on a button. Quickly, Jude and I looked up.

"What are you doing here?!" He shouted at the girl in red, and she looked down at us with rage-filled eyes.

"You're really starting to make me angry!" She yelled back, and began furiously typing. Agria finished after a while of us trying to find a way up there, and the Lance began to move. The nose opened and two hourglass-like shapes crossed. The flat disk in the green hole grew to be in the same shape. When this happened, it was like the Lance sucked something up, canceling what the Great Four were casting. Then suddenly, a purple-like drift of something began pushing down on all of us. It was so heavy, I could barely stand, and then I felt a throb in my head. My legs nearly collapsed from sudden exhaustion.

I heard Jude grunt in pain, and glanced over. The both of them seemed to be in the same condition as me. Wait, could this mean..?

"Wh-What the heck's… Going on..?!" Jude managed to say, and Milla's head snapped up in the direction of Agria. Even she was going through this predicament…

"Fool!" She exclaimed, "Are you insane? Don't you know this is going to drain you, too?!" I'm guessing she meant mana drained from the lobe. The scene of Haus' fate popped in my mind when I thought of what could happen to us, and an unwelcomed shiver went down my spine. I really don't want that to happen to me.

My attention was taken away from Jude and Milla, and it went on to the girl in red. She was laughing insanely, slowly bending back. "You're suffering! It's… It's worth it!" And with that, she fell to the ground unconscious.

Jude managed to get a view on the Lance's cross. "It's acting directly on our mana lobes!" Our? Then this really does mean that I have a-!

"This is bad..!" I struggled to say. "W-We need to… turn it off somehow!"

Milla stepped forward a little, barely managing to keep her body up. "This wasn't part of the plan," she admitted, "but it's nothing I can't deal with..!" Then, the blonde began slowly stumbling towards the keypad Jude and I were at earlier. She's going for the key!

"Are you going to try and stop it? Do you even know what you're doing..?!" Jude's voice was getting weaker by the second, and Milla continued forward. But when she reached a point, purple patterned circles appeared below our feet. "This isn't good..!" He exclaimed, trying to step forward himself. Red circles with purple spikes raised from the pattern around us and the spirits. Man, they just have something about the color purple…

The teen and I fell on our knees with too much mana drained to stand. The lord of spirits finally caught hold of the key, and it clicked in my mind what was going to happen where we were standing. However, Jude and I saw a light flash before our eyes, and we both looked up, hearing voices in our heads.

"Take Milla and run. Take her to safety, and help her achieve her goal." The spirits said, and I heard the boy next to me repeat it in a confused tone.

"What are they trying to do..?" He asked towards me, and I was tempted to shrug. But I was too weak to even hold my head up, anymore. I could already picture it. The Four Spirits gathered, and created a blow to send the both of us flying back onto the bridge. This would be the second time today I felt as though my back could be badly bruised. The machine's draining had stopped its effect on us, but Milla kept her hold on the hourglass. All the mana that had been gathered from us didn't make it to the machine, and it began rapidly flowing around the room. The bridge began to shake, and I let out a panicked scream – then the lord of spirits had pulled the key from its hold, causing a giant beam of light to shoot up.

The spirits disappeared into the machine, and the bridge broke in half. Jude and I stumbled backwards, and the medical student caught hold of the railing. His gloved hand caught mine before I fell, and we were both dangling tons of feet above rushing water. I let out another scream when I had looked down. So far down… So deadly, so high, so cold, so loud…

The force from the beam of light sent Milla onto the other half of the bridge. Her feet were slipping, and she created a green sign in front of her, but nothing happened. Her startled gasp was loud enough for the two of us to hear before she fell towards the water. Jude and I looked at each other hesitantly.

Oh crap, oh no, don't! I don't want to fall in, no!

My panicked face clearly wasn't enough to stop Jude from closing his eyes and letting go. I closed my eyes as well as I tried to grab hold of something, but couldn't. There was nothing for me to catch hold of for dear life…

And all that was heard after falling was two screams, and a painful sound of mass hitting the water.

* * *

When I came to my senses, I hissed in pain. Then, I watched the bubbles that floated up with curiosity. Then, I realized my lack of air and the stinging from my eyes. Quickly, I swam up , my head breaking the surface as I gasped for air. The water still stung my eyes, and I couldn't keep them open. It's a hustle to try and rub the water from your eyes while staying afloat.

"Maren, lend me your hand." A gloved hand stretched out to me, and I looked at the owner. Jude was reaching out as far as he could, trying not to fall back in. I grabbed his hand, and he pulled me to the platform. Land, sweet land! Sweet, dry land!

I mumbled a thank you to the medical student, and a soft smile spread on his lips. But that smile faded as he turned to Milla. "So, you really have lost the power of the Four Great Spirits." He said in disappointment. Was I under water for the first part of the conversation? "Then, what are you going to do? There's no way for you to destroy that device without their power."

Milla closed her eyes in thought as I rubbed my numb arms from the water impact. "You have a point." She mentioned after a few long seconds. Then her eyes opened in realization, placing a hand on her chin. "Perhaps if I were to return to Nia Khera…" She trailed off. Jude and I gave her a puzzled look, and Milla turned to have us. "Listen, you two have been a great help. Thank you. You should go home, now." Those were her last words before she walked off.

"Ah, Milla, wait for us!" I exclaimed, grabbing Jude's hand and following after. Why not? Jude has to go with her, anyway! And if those fanfictions are real… Then I have no choice but to go, as well.

We reached the top of the stairs, and turned the corner. So no matter what, we both were still too slow to catch up to the blonde? Great, that's nice to know. The guard had already pulled out his weapon at Milla, and Jude had already shouted her name. Milla's magenta eyes glanced at us from the side, and her lips twisted in a frown.

"How foolish, you two." She began, "You should have gone home like I asked."

"Well, maybe our home is this way." I mumbled to myself, pointing out the flaw in Milla's statement. Jude began to walk over until the guard shifted.

He put his weapon down slightly, and asked, "You both in cahoots with her?" That made Jude hesitate a little, and his eyes glanced at the ground. The female gripped her sword and attempted to slash at the guard, but the weight of it threw her off. This gave the man a chance to dodge, and Jude's eyes widened.

"What?! Haven't you ever wielded a sword before?" He exclaimed as he took a step forward. I face palmed. No, she's never wielded a sword in her life. That's exactly why she used it like a pro inside.

Yeah, that was sarcasm. Now Milla's going to say yes, but she relied on the four to guide her arm, and now it feels different… Why do I remember this part of the game more than the rest? Ah, the guard just shouted his line, and Jude ran up next to Milla. The fight was going to start!

I saw the medical student's head turn towards me, and he mouthed a coupled words before charging at the guard. What did he mouth..?

_Just kick?_

Oh! Yeah, I could kick! Let's help the cute boy out! . . . Okay, never say that again.

I began to charge at the guard, as well. Jude already had him distracted, but he had his shield blocking every hit. My best bet would be to get him in the back… right? I nodded to myself as I jumped behind and sent the heel of my foot directly in his side, making the guard falter. This gave Jude a clearing, and he kicked the helmet as hard as he could; knocking the man out. Once he fell, I slumped on my butt to rub my heel.

"Oow…" I hissed with pain, and Jude bent over – hands on his knees. He was breathing heavily, and I was too from that small run to kick. Milla walked up beside us, placing her left hand on her hip.

"You've saved me, again. Thank you." She stated, and the student looked up at her.

"If you're wanting to leave Fennmont, take the boat at the seahaven." He began.

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, this morning there were a lot of policemen at the city entrance." Pat myself on the back. Pretending I didn't know much really wasn't bad.

"The seahaven…"She mumbled while looking around the town. After a while of that, she made a concerned face. I couldn't help but let out a small laugh when Jude slumped.

"You don't know where it is, do you?" He asked with slight dread. After a moment of silence, Jude guessed that meant yes and turned. "This way."

Milla smiled with amusement as she followed him over the bridge. I stood behind for a bit, wanting to think things over. Okay, so I've met Jude and Milla, now. We just got out of the laboratory, and are heading to the seahaven. If I'm right, we'll be surrounded by the policemen, and meet Alvin. I had no doubt he probably saw us fall back in that dreadful water room. Heh, he'll probably have to act surprised to see me with these two. I mean, I probably didn't seem too important. However, I get the feeling he never bought my story. Every time I looked up at him, he'd quickly look away. Crap, was it my clothes?

"Maren! You coming? Or are you going to stay here for me to come back?" I heard Jude shout from ahead, and I looked up at the two. I have no choice but to come… That was what I wanted to say, but they'd just get suspicious.

"Coming!" I shouted back, and began to jog over. Pain shocked up my legs, and I had to stop a little ways from them; bending over. They seemed to notice this, and retraced their steps back over to me. I glanced at Jude and saw the concerned look on his face.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain?" He asked, bending down to meet eye length. Jude, we were the same age. Don't speak to me like I'm a child. Then again, he's planning to become a doctor. He probably has to get use to talking like that. Curse you, adorable Jude…

I looked down at my legs and rubbed them. "They feel as though they're being crushed…" Duh, they had to be from that big of a fall. I'm just surprised none of us had any broken bones.

He got down on one knee, and went to grab the bottom of my pant leg. The medical student stopped, though, before looking up at me. "Can I see?" I gave him a nod, blushing slightly, and he pulled it up to my knee. I nearly gagged at the sight.

It was badly bruised, especially around my ankle. Now that I saw it, the pain began to flow in more than before. I must have hit the water feet first… Ow.

"Don't worry, I'll heal it." I heard Jude say, and he hovered his hand over the major one. A small light glowed around it, and it was like the pain was just a small memory. I mumbled a thank you, and looked at my leg in amazement. Whoa… So that's what healing felt like. It was like a headache slowly going away. Boy, did that always feel good. I wish we had this on Earth!

"Humans can be so fragile." Milla mused with a hand to her chin.

Jude looked at her with concern clear on his face. "Milla," he said, "Do you feel pain anywhere?" As I expected, she shook her head. I was about to ask Jude the same thing, but I figured he had already healed himself. Yeah, if we had healing artes back at home, I doubt we'd have as many injuries as we do now. Oh, well. Earth's fault for not having mana. Which is weird… I'm from Earth, but apparently I have a mana lobe. Did I always have one, or did it just… appear?

"What was your name? Maren?" I heard Milla ask, and I looked up to nod. "We should get going. The police no doubt already know about us." She stated before continuing to walk onward. Jude gave a small sigh before he followed. I stood back, again, letting everything in. This is Fennmont. Jude and Milla are in front of me. I've become part of the story… It's too late to go back what with the three main characters already knowing my name. And if those fanfictions were real, I have to go through this journey in order to get home.

The two stopped once more, ahead. "What is it this time?" Jude's voice echoed over the bridge, and I shook my head. I had to pinch my cheek before looking back at them directly. This is real, this is real, this is real… I need to keep that in mind. The death of Professor Haus was terrible, and it definitely made me not want to get my mana sapped from me or any others. After a few seconds of just standing there, I began to run towards the two characters. No… Friends. "Thank goodness. I thought I missed a wound or something." Jude said as he looked at me with a smile.

"Sorry, there's nothing wrong. I was just… Processing stuff." I replied.

"I would hope so. We cannot lose any more time." Milla stated and began walking once more down the bridge. Man, cold much, Milla?

The three of us continued through Fennmont, turning where Jude said to. I was honestly surprised how he knew which ways to go. This place is really huge compared to the game's version. The bridges were long, and there were more buildings between parts where the game would cut off. Imagine how the castle would be, later on… Ugh, not looking forward to that. Except, won't we have Leia, then? Yeah, she's talkative. I could at least be entertained!

Another turn, walk straight, turn, walk, walk, walk, jump. Okay, not everyone jumped – I did. Stupid dog scared me. However, I was beginning to become impatient, and there's no way I'm walking in circles around Jude like I did with Alvin.

"Just how big is Fennmont?" I asked with a slight grown. Seriously, how long has it been? Ten maybe fifteen minutes? Uuugh, so long… Well. Not that long, but still.

Jude looked over his shoulder at me with an amused smile. "Pretty big, don't worry. The seahaven's right over there." His gloved hand pointed in the direction of the port, and my eyes widened before muttering a hallelujah. However, like everything else, the gates to the seahaven were much larger than how the game portrayed.

"It has a very interesting structure. This will be the first I've ever been on a man-made object of transportation." Milla stated, and Jude gave her a surprised look. Oh, poor boy. He hasn't caught the pattern yet. Eventually, the walls of the seahaven towered over us, and we stopped to look at it. I've said this before, but it's huge!

Opening the doors, we continued to walk forward, looking around. It was like being at California at night – only it was around ten in the morning. Kids were running around, city folk buying from the stores… Boy, did Jude and Milla know what was going to happen here. We continued to walk down the stairs, and I swear I saw a brown blur in the right corner of my eye. I looked over to see if my prediction of who it was is correct, but guards started surrounding us.

"You three! Stop right there!" Speak of the devil... From earlier.

We each turned around to find the policemen wearing black and red uniforms. Jude looked at each one with confusion as I unconsciously clinged on his arm. My face flushed, though, and I quickly let go.

"What's going on here?" The medical student murmured to the both of us, and I played it innocent. The guards continued to swarm, and the people around us stopped to see the commotion. Careful, people. You never know if someone would get killed on the scene.

I looked around the area for a certain brunette as the scene played out. The captain of the police coming out to see if it's really Jude, Jude gets surprised, yadda yadda… I remember this perfectly, so I'll just stay here to look around. My eyes wandered onto the ticket booth that would soon blow up in flames. Hopefully the person in it moves out of the way in time. I wouldn't want to see a burning body after seeing one disintegrate… No sir, I do not want to see that at all.

Soon, I heard the horn of the boat, and Milla glanced back at it. I could tell she felt uneasy as she sheathed her sword. Ah, that far already..? Man, how long does it take for me to think one word? I looked at Eldin in front of Jude, and I could tell he was hesitating. The boat started floating away, and Milla glanced at me and Jude.

"This is goodbye, Jude, Maren." She began as she backed up toward the dock. "Forgive me for all of this." And with that, she ditched us. Milla, you're… Kind of a jerk.

The mage next to Eldin shot a fireball after the blonde, but barely missed her; it hit the ticket booth instead. Jude's patient walked closer to us as the guards closed in. Crap, Alvin. Where are you?

One of them behind me had grabbed my wrist tightly. I winced and yelped in surprise, trying to grab hold of Jude. It was no use, they were already pulling me away. The medical student just stood there in shock, anyway – staring ahead and as still as his body could be. No, this can't be where everything ends, can it? I don't want to be taken to jail, Alvin's nowhere in sight. Jude, please, snap out of it!

Eldin put a hand on Jude's frozen shoulder having a solemn look. "Think it over carefully, doc. The more you and your friend refuse, the harder your sentence." No, I don't want to die! Jude, snap out of it!

I closed my eyes in fear of the possibility, I was now at the bottom of the stairs. The guard was already starting to tie my wrists, and I winced when he tightened it. I shouted Jude's name as I looked over with panic. His hands were also behind his back. No, no, no, no, no!

Then suddenly, one of the men was knocked down.

Relief was clear on my face when the guard that was holding me was shot in the leg. It made him tumble back, loosening his grip, and I dashed over to the two familiar males. I looked at the figure before us, and smiled wide.

Alvin fixed his long tie. "Well, aren't these military types brave? Protecting the world from pipsqueaks like you." He started, and Jude's body began to move. Thankfully his hands weren't tied. The thought came to mind, and I turned my back to Jude to show him the rope around my wrists. Before he could even touch, Alvin stopped him. "Save that for later. Your lovely lady friend's about to set sail, you know." Ugh, great… Rope burn for me.

While those two were talking, I looked back at the boat and began to run after it. I could tell Milla had noticed since her eyes were on me. Yet, she still chose to just stand there. From behind me, I heard more than one pair of footsteps running along. Then, the clanking of armor… The rushing footsteps got closer as I felt an arm rap around me, and a startled yelp come from my side.

"I hope you're sturdier than you look!" Alvin let out with a grunt as he jumped off the platform to a beam pole. My eyes widened as I panicked to find something to hold on, but my arms were behind my back. Honestly, that just made this jump even scarier. The brunette sprinted across the pole and jumped; cold air whipped at my face. Then, suddenly I felt a painful jolt before landing on something with an uncomfortable grunt. Everything was a blur before the world grew still. I slowly opened my eyes only to meet something blue. Lifting my head up, my face burned red as I met amber eyes. Jude had the same reaction – we both shouted apologies, pulling away and sitting a pretty big distance away from each other. Soon, men and women in sailor uniforms surrounded us.

"What's going on here?!" One of the questioned with panic. I looked over at Alvin with a blank stare as he rubbed his shoulder.

Then, he turned towards the figure. "The militaries were doing drills or something on shore. We were just getting out of their way." I wish I could lie that easily. Though, it looked like the workers didn't believe it. "C'mon, do you really think a pipsqueak, two pretty girls, and a dashing young man like me would be up to no good?" Yes, actually.

The workers, however, just shrugged it off and continued to work. I quickly stood up, attempting to fix my hair as a distraction from Jude's cuteness. He also stood up, but looked at Alvin. This is where they introduce each other, blah, blah… I've heard this. When I thought my hair didn't need much fixing, I walked to the edge of the boat, leaning on the side. The sky was beautiful… If only we could see this many stars at home. The stupid light pollution takes it away, and Utah's always cloudy around the end of winter. Come to think of it, we rarely left our state. I hated it when we let home for more than a week. I'm definitely going to get homesick on this adventure. That's going to suck. Except, Alvin might just think I miss my brother. Not Milla, because apparently Jude and I are siblings.

Yelling came from behind me, and when I looked over, Milla and Alvin were following a man into the cabins. That must have been the captain. Jude walked over to lean against the side next to me. My face flushed, and I tried not to make eye contact with him. Oh, man… Am I going to be like this around him forever? I can't! I want to talk to him, but his eyes are just- Ugh, don't even think about it! Yes, he's cute, but you can't just ignore him!

Suddenly, a small sneeze came from the side of me. I looked over at Jude, trying my hardest not to squeal. But then he sneezed again. And again. And… Again… I gave the medical student a blank stare as he rubbed his nose.

"Uh… Bless you?" I said quietly. He mumbled a small thank you as he sneezed once more. "You did that back in the laboratory, too. You know, the sneeze gave the girl the upper hand." Another sneeze. I laughed a little, and he seemed to want to break his nose then and there. "You okay?" I asked with an amused smile.

"Sorry about that…" He laughed nervously, sniffling. "I don't know where that came from." Yeah, it was definitely out of nowhere.

He sneezed once more, mumbling a second apology, and I patted his shoulder which caused an even bigger sneeze. I pulled my hand back with surprise, and another apology came out of his mouth. "Um, thanks for healing my leg, earlier." I stated with a hint of awkwardness in my voice.

"No problem, but… You already thanked me." He gave me a small smile as I slapped my forehead.

"R-Right, sorry…" I mumbled, slumping over the edge. "So…" Jude looked at me with expecting eyes as I struggled to find a topic to talk about. Those orange eyes, I couldn't disappoint them… Okay, how about this? "Why are bananas yellow?"

. . . I hate myself.

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**Yay! Nearly 5,000 words! Guys, I'm getting there, okay?**

**So, I appreciate the reviews! They're giving me courage and magical-ness (Symphonia reference).**

**Anyway, I asked my friend who was with me at the time to tell me what the random topic for Jude should be. You obviously know the answer, eheheheh... Pretty sure I would kill myself if I ever said that to Jude. **

**Be prepared for the next chapter! New things, free conversations that aren't in the game, and more! And hopefully I'll fit in the reason why Jude's sneezing so much. :3**


	6. 6 I'm a Hero! Not

**Hey! Look! Another chapter that's actually 2,000 words shorter than the last! It's still eight pages long in word...**

**Ugh, yes, it's a little short, but I felt like I just had to stop where it's stopped or else this chapter would go downhill. Anyway, thanks _cdpict _for showing me that Youtuber to help me with the Jude sides of the story! It helped with my preplanned rough drafts! And thank you so much to everyone else who's reviewed and given me hope that this story will make it through!**

**Diclaimer: Uh... Stated it the last four chapters. DO NOT OWN!**

_. . . I hate myself._

Jude just stared at me with surprised eyes. If only I could know what was going through that head of his. I'm weird, I'm crazy… I shouldn't be with him-

"Actually… Only the skin is yellow. The part you eat of the banana is white. Auxin is the chemical that causes the banana to curve. That way, it's easy to face the sun, and to turn its skin yellow. Other ones have less of this chemical, and the Cavendish ones have the most amount." He replied after thinking for a bit. I just stared back at him with the same face he gave me. He… Wow, he answered it. He actually had an answer to that.

I just slumped again, mumbling, "Smarty…" in turn. He laughed nervously before getting in the same position as me. We just sat there, staring at Fennmont's spirit clime in silence. I'm actually going to explore this world… With things I only know from the game. That's very hard to believe.

"Hey…" Jude looked at me, and I replied with a 'hm?' to signal I was listening. He took a long sigh, and continued, "Aren't you fazed by this at all..?" I turned my head to look at him. Fazed..? "I mean, we're wanted now… _You're_ wanted now. Are you sure this is what your brother would have wanted? If we get captured, we might get killed!" He… Had a point. How am I not fazed by this? It feels weird, to be honest. I'm not sure why my heart isn't beating rapidly.

I looked down to mull everything over. I'm not nervous… Why? Could it just be that since I've never experienced it, I can't imagine it? That was my theory with dreams. Could it be true with imagination in a way? I mean, when that guard got hold of me, I was pretty scared. Oh, yeah! Speaking of which…

"Uh, Jude, I… Still have my hands tied." I noted, and he jumped at the thought. Yeah, why didn't that pop in my mind when I was fixing my hair? I was using my shoulders, so… Ugh, it's official. I'm slow.

The teen walked closer to look at the ropes as he began to untie whatever knot that guard made. It took him a while, and every time I felt it get tight, I'd whimper to make it obvious. Of course, he'd apologize, and try a different way. This gave me enough time to think about the situation, and imagine what a jail cell would even be like. It would probably be cold, bland, dark, uncomfortable, quiet… I also probably wouldn't get good food, and maybe have to… Eww… I don't even want to think about bathroom situations!

Finally, I suddenly felt my arms drop to my sides, and looked at the rope Jude was holding onto. I took it and stuffed it in the little bag on my side, then rubbed my sore wrists. I figured maybe it would come in handy, someday. Jude just went back to lean on the edge of the boat, and after that, a couple hours passed.

I went to sit on a spare barrel to rest my feet as I sighed. It seemed to catch Jude's attention, and I looked up at him. "Jude, about your question, earlier… I… I can't really say if I'm fazed or not." I said, and avoided his gaze. "I've never experienced this before, but… All I know is that we can't risk anything." His amber eyes became thoughtful as he turned his attention back on the sky. It had changed a while ago, which had me worried for a few seconds. Then again, the game probably had it like that to show the spirit clime off. I stared at Jude's back for a few minutes before familiar voices started to approach. Their footsteps stopped to the side of us, and I looked over to meet Alvin and Milla.

"Got your ears yelled off?" I asked, and had to hold back a laugh when the blond actually reached up to see if it was true. Alvin just grinned with a shrug, and all eyes fell on Jude. He was distant, a frown still on his lips. When everything stayed silent, he just shook his head.

"I can't believe we're going to Auj Oule…" He said in disbelief, and Alvin walked over to give him a pat on the back.

As an attempt to change the subject, he winked and said, "So, you're a med student, and you just happened to run into the young girl. Didn't expect that." He chuckled, and I knew he was referring to me as the young girl. Even Alvin began to lean against the edge of the boat, but noticed Jude's serious look.

"Can I ask you something?" Jude looked at him, but continued without an answer. "Why did you help us? What's in it for you?"

"He's a mercenary." I explained, interrupting whatever Alvin was about to answer with. "So cash." Yeah, I think that saves us a bit of that huge explanation I've heard tones of times.

The brunette just looked at me with an amused grin. "Straight to the point, aren't you?" He cleared his throat and continued, "I figured you must be in serious trouble if the military's after you. Now that I've swung to your rescue, and impressed you with my derring-do, I can charge you for my services." I had to snort at 'derring-do,' and the rest of the time Jude and Milla just stood there. I have to admit… Watching the conversations in real life is pretty cool.

"Charge us what? I'm nearly broke!" The teen pointed out.

"Same goes for me, I'm afraid." Milla held up her hand.

"You already know my situation." I replied, kicking my feet against the barrel while looking down.

The mercenary's eyes widened a little as he rubbed his head. "Seriously? I take more than just cash, you know. Precious metals? Jewels? Uh…" He glanced at me, nervously. "Rich relatives about to croak?" We each gave our own excuses. Jude's being 'it happened so fast,' Milla not really having anything but a sword, and me repeating my last comment. Alvin just sighed. "Ah, well… It's a risk of the trade." Oh, he looks blue.

I'd say brownish gold.

Shut up, mind.

"Sorry about that." Milla said, and Alvin just waved his hand in reply.

"Charity work. Wonderful…" He looked out at the ocean as he sighed once more. "Are we there, yet?" We just stood in silence until Milla turned to look at me.

"We reach the seahaven late tonight. I would like to know how Alvin already knows your situation." I jolted, realizing the scene doesn't cut off, here. "And how you already knew he was a mercenary."

"Whew, how to explain this." The man rubbed the back of his head, seeming to already be in higher spirits. He turned back around at us, and Milla folded her arms, impatiently. "We met in the field just outside of Fennmont."

Jude shook his head. "That still doesn't explain. How do we know you didn't kidnap her?"

"Oh, come on. You don't really think that, do you?" He joked, putting his hands behind his head.

"Guys, let me explain." I said, getting in the middle of the triangle they made. Their eyes all focused on me, and I had to resist the urge to back away. "I was unconscious in the field, and Alvin found me. My brother was… Lunch for a monster."

Milla looked at both me and Jude. "I feel sorry for your guys' loss."

I heard Jude mumble an apology as Alvin gave us a weird look. Then the medical student decided to look up. "I also still don't get why you were looking for professor Haus. I understand how you found me, and that you needed something, but… Why him?"

"My brother knew him, and wanted to see if my fractured wrist was really healed." And with that, Jude's gloved hands got hold of my wrists and concentrated. After a few seconds, he let go.

"There's no injury." Yeah, I know. The fracture was from four years ago.

"Then my brother died for nothing…" I mumbled, trying to act sad.

Milla's eyes shined a little. "Perhaps we could fracture it and have Jude heal it to make his death meaningful." I stared at her with a pained expression as I hissed through my teeth. Fracturing a wrist wasn't a pleasant feeling, and I'm sure I don't want to experience it, again.

"You're surprisingly violent." Alvin stated. Jude looked down with exhaustion as he shook his head. I bet he's still processing this whole situation – same as me. We're wanted, and soon we'll be risking our lives. At least Jude has experience with fighting! I'm probably worse than Milla right now.

Then, an idea popped in my mind. I should help Jude raise his spirit! What to say, what to say… I'm not bringing up the banana thing from earlier. That was too embarrassing, and Alvin would probably make fun of me. Speaking of Alvin…

"What, you're not going to do any of those weird actions of yours?" He said, putting his elbow on my shoulder. What's he talking about? OH- "Skipping, turning in circles, doing those weird voices of yours…"

"Weird voices?" Milla looked at me with amusement. "I believe it would be interesting to hear these strange humors you humans have." I looked at her with surprise, and a hue of red crossed over my cheeks.

I violently shook my head. "N-No! It's not that good, and I, uh…" It's not that I don't want to. "A-And I… Don't like to do it when… People are… Actually listening…" I started to mumble on, getting softer. The brunet just grinned while the blonde tilted her head.

Finally, Jude spoke up. "I guess I can relate." He said as he scratched his cheek. "It's always hard to reply to all of these people complementing you, and wanting to see or hear more. I did one thing one time, and my classmate went to tell everyone."

"Yeah, something like that." I looked down in embarrassment. Especially when I draw and people make a huge deal about it. I can never handle compliments well. They'll always be saying 'thank you' or 'wow, that's good,' and I'll just stare with a smile, nodding really awkwardedellyadily…

"In other words, you're shy." Alvin stated, the grin still on his face. "Funny. You're only willing to be crazy when you're bored or something?"

"Yes!" The smile instantly hit my face.

Milla, to my right, tilted her head. "How peculiar. I would just simply do it, already knowing I'm good at it."

"Well, you can't just say 'yeah, I know I'm better than you' as a reply to someone who says it." I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "Wouldn't that be selfish?"

"… Such complicated creatures…" She mumbled, turning her gaze towards the ocean. The three of us stared at her with amusement. She really didn't know how to actually reply to that? Oh, Milla…

It was silent for a while, and we each tried out best to enjoy the ocean view. I went back to my barrel, Milla was meditating next to me, and Jude and Alvin were having a small conversation against the edge. The wind was cool, and the waves were calming. I could see why Milla would choose to do what she's doing. After a few minutes of looking at her, she lifted her head.

"You've been staring at me for some time, now. Do you wish to speak?"

"Ah!" I let out, catching my breath from the sudden jump I did. "How can you tell?"

"Simple. The wind sounds differently against your face, and I also get this feeling you humans call 'being watched." I twitched a little, feeling like I would never be able to prank this person. She could actually tell I was looking at her? What does it feel like when you're being watched? "Now, answer my question. Do you wish to speak?"

"Uh, how can you do that?"

"I believe I just told you-"

"N-No, uh… Do this." I gestured to the stance she was in, her calm atmosphere, and posture. "How can you meditate?"

She put a hand to her chin in thought. "Hm, I suppose you could say you just need to clear your mind."

I slumped, giving her a 'no duh' look. "Yeah, um… I try to do that, but stuff always comes to my mind. Like how I'm breathing. You're really not aware of it until your mind has nothing else to think of." I paused, leaning back against the wall with a sigh. "And now it's on my mind."

"You must be relaxed, first." She stated, bowing her head back down and closing her eyes. "Then, you straighten your back to a comfortable position. However, I have to admit it is harder to meditate, since the four are no longer with me." Ah, so they helped her. Guess that's one reason why she could stand to be in that shrine day in and day out all the time. "Is there a reason why you would like to know this?"

"Uh, well, I was just wondering. What does it feel like to meditate?"

Milla went silent for a few seconds before opening her eyes, again. "That is a question I seem to not be able to answer. It is… Very hard to describe."

I huffed a little, looking at the two males in front of us. Their stances were stiff, faces still. Milla seemed to see them, as well, since she stood up. The heck..? Not even going to stretch?

I decided to stand as well, stretching out my back, and I approached them. Before I could ask what was wrong, something in the water caught my attention. Bubbles were popping up on the surface frantically. I could hear the sailors shouting orders, rushing footsteps all over the docks.

"Pull away! Move the ship!" Was what they kept shouting. "Go west! Don't hit it!"

"What's going on?!" Jude was quick to back away from the railing, then Alvin and I followed. He looked back and forth between the sailors, and his hands reached for the gauntlets on his side. "What's in the water?!"

As if to answer his question, a large figure rose from the ocean. Its tentacles were already grabbing the sides of the boat. Its squid-like head had spikes all over, and moss hung down from everywhere possible. My face paled as I shakily pointed towards it. "Octo-monster!" I shouted, and the heroes took steps back in surprise. They each got their weapons ready, but Jude shook his head towards Milla.

"That octo doesn't look too happy about us being in its territory." Alvin pointed out, and we each rolled our eyes at the obvious.

"I would like to fight, but unfortunately I can't." Milla stated, holding the handle of her sword tightly. "However, I cannot allow you three to fight by yourselves."

"Uh, two, actually." I mumbled in reply, but the monster had roared loudly before I ended. That made Jude jump onto the edge of the boat, and it was as if he flew to the top of the octopus. This monster was really mutant. I mean, just… Just look at it!

Alvin turned to look at Milla and I to wink before he joined Jude. He actually jumped on one of the limbs to get a good shot with his gun. I decided that since I'm afraid to get hit by one of those arms, I pulled Milla with me behind a couple crates. I did not want to be hit by that thing, and I definitely don't want Milla to charge out there like she was going to. She could fall in, and we were still trying to dry off from the last fall!

. . . Okay, in reality, I just don't want to be alone behind this crate.

"Interesting." I heard Milla say next to me. "Jude seems to be use to fighting, even though he's only been doing it today." Oh, I was so tempted to blurt out about his childhood with Leia, and all that stuff. But no. That's not the best thing to say at this time with a monster attacking the ship. And if there's anything worse than being hit by a giant octopus, it's a suspicious Milla. . . Okay, I know I really don't have any right to say that. I don't know what it's like to be hit by that large… Fish.

"Stupid mind, shut up…" I muttered, and the woman looked at me with those oblivious eyes.

"Stupid mind?" She repeated. "Humans come up with the strangest sayings."

"Please stop referring to us as humans." I blurted out, but then covered my mouth right afterwards. Crap, that was bad, but… "It's a little offensive when said too many times." I continued. CRAP, shut up!

"Offensive? But it's who you are, isn't it?"

"Well, um…" I thought for a moment, taking my eyes off the battle in front of the crates. "We were given names for a reason..? Like, uh… You wouldn't want me to just call you spirit all the time, right?"

"I'm the Great Spirit Maxwell, Lord of-"

"Exactly my point…" I stated before she could go on, and looked back up at the fight. I know the 'human' stuff won't end, but still… It was weird being called human. I mean, we don't have any other intelligent species on Earth, so I'm not use to it. And it's definitely weird to be calling my home planet by its name on another.

"AH!" I screamed with a sudden rumble of the ship. Milla grabbed my wrist to pull me up, and I found the cause of the sudden, rapid movement. The limbs of the octo were reaching for anything to fight back. Anything, even reaching for the sailors… "Wh-What-?!" I let out as Milla pulled me out from behind the crate, her sword already drawn. "You're not planning to fight that thing the way you are right now, right?!"

"I cannot allow it to use innocent civilians as tools." She interjected, looking down at me, straight in the eyes. I had to look away, my body trembling at the thought of fighting that thing. "No matter how much I cannot do at the moment, I won't let my sword disappoint me." And with that, she charged. I don't want to fight that thing. I don't want to get hurt. I don't want to-

"AH!" A scream sounded. Then another, and another… The monster was grabbing hold of multiple men and women, and I could feel my knees hitting each other from all my trembling. "H-Help me!" Shrieking terrors, horror… I can't just stand here, I have to-

My body automatically moved. Except, it didn't go towards the fight. Slowly, my legs took steps back, then they got faster, and faster… No, no, no..! If I leave them to fight alone, I-

_But I don't want to get hurt._

I closed my eyes as I turned around to run from the commotion. A tentacle raised above the railing to my right, but I kept running. I don't want to get hurt, I don't want to get hurt… Screams, shrieks, cries for help, Milla, Jude, Alvin… I could hear them all behind me, but my pounding heart in my ears drowned them out. I had to run, I had to get away.

**_WHACK_**

**_CRASH_**

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"..ren… ake…p!..ur…ounds…" A muffled voice sounded through the darkness. I looked around, but nothing became clear. It was dark, too dark, and I couldn't tell if I was really looking around or not. My head was throbbing like mad, my limbs ached, my stomach felt bruised. I could feel liquid under me. I tried to move, but some kind of force held me down. "..on't…ve!..et me…al you." They were starting to get a little clearer… Let me heal you? Is that what I heard? There's… Also a sneeze.

However, in the middle of the darkness, a light green light appeared. A faint figure stood in the light, but I couldn't focus enough to see who it was. Then, a familiar voice spoke.

_Since you know our world, help her to not stray._

What..? Help who to not stray?

"Oh, good! You're waking up!" I opened my eyes only to meet amber ones. At first, I had no idea where I was, what happened, who that was… "Your wounds are really severe. You two need to be more careful!" Oh, yeah… Reize Maxia. That's Jude, the medical student. Heh… He's concerned. He looks so cute when he's concerned. So… Cute…

My head became dizzy, I couldn't keep my eyes open. "Alvin, she's lost..oo…bloo…!" There goes the voices. Soon, the liquid beneath me seemed to disappear, and two solid, dry, warm pieces of matter lifted me up.

"It's like Déjà vu." Was the last thing I could hear.

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**Yeeeeeesssssss, I finally managed to get a part that starts racing your mind! Hopefully, that last piece of dialogue tells you who picked me up. And why did Jude say "the _two _of you need to be more careful?" Hmmm? Muahahahah, I have things planned!~ . . . well, not completely planned.**

**Anyway, the octo-monster is not completely made up. It actually shows up in the Manga version of Xillia, so I decided to use that small idea. That was where in the manga Milla was suppose to learn how to fight, but... I took that part out. Yay!**

**Please review and tell me if you like the story! Maybe tell me what you hope to be in here, or things I need fixin' because I only proof read my stuff once. . . Stupid, I know. **


	7. 7 Lillium Orb

**Finalllllyyyyy! I have written a chapter with over 7,000 words! WHOOT!**

**Anyway, I actually typed most of this in the past two days because of a certain procrastination I have. *shrug* Having my non-creative mind, it's sometimes hard to come up with coversations that don't happen in the game. It's really easy with Milla, but not with Jude or Alvin. And eventually we'll be having Elize in here... More creativity, yay!**

**Disclaimer: Uhhh, me no own.**

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"You're awake already? Heh, right when the Honor Student falls asleep, too." I looked over at the tall brunet with my weak eyes. He was leaning against the entrance of the room – his foot pressed to it, and arms folded. What he said confused me. Honor Student… That was how he referred to Jude. My weak eyes then landed on a teen my age asleep with his head down, and half his body on my bed. "He refused to stop healing your wounds."

"My… Wounds..?" I asked, trying to sit up. A powerful shock went up my back, though, and I slumped back down with a grunt. I then looked at my arms to find bandages and bruises on them. "What happened?"

A female voice reached my ears from across the room. "You had been thrown into the roof of the boat." I looked over, seeing Milla sitting on her own bed, her arms crossed as well. "You were lucky. If Alvin had not seen you, you could have died of blood loss." While she was talking, I made attempts to move my arms and legs to see if there were any broken bones. No, there weren't, but my head hurt like someone got a boulder and smashed it. Been thrown into the roof, huh… Must have been pretty hard for me to actually get flesh wounds from that. When I'm able to get up, I'll check where those wounds are. I already know there's some on my arms…

"You're one to talk." Alvin scoffed over at Milla, pointing at the giant bruise on her side. "You charged right over to her, only to be grabbed by one of those limbs."

"Huh? Then how'd she get down?" I attempted to get up again, but slower, as I looked at the man.

"I shot the limb, but it moved a little more before it went down. That bruise is from her hitting the banister of the boat pretty hard."

"And I do not recall anything after that. It's very hard to stay conscious without the four." The blonde stood, walking over to look at Jude next to me. Her expression was hard to read as she stared him down. However, he began to stir after a while, and I couldn't help but smile. He sat up, rubbing his eyes sleepily, until they grew wide with realization. His gloved hands reached out in front, and a faint light glowed between them and my legs.

I could tell Jude's hands became heavy as his eyes showed strain. But all of that struggling went away when Milla tapped his shoulder.

"I believe she is healed enough to the point she can walk." She said, and the med student looked at me with astonishment.

"You're up!" He smiled, quickly standing, but hand to hold his head from the sudden movement. Alvin and I laughed a little, and Milla was just amused as she looked at me. Jude continued to speak, "You can at least sit up. Should I help you with standing?" And he sneezed.

The pattern began to click in my mind, and I shook my head. "I think I should have someone different help me. You seem to sneeze when you're only a foot away." I swung my feet over the side of the bed, and pressed my feet against the floor. A gloved hand reached out in front of me, and I looked up at the owner.

Alvin grinned. "I think I'm the only one available, then." And he took my hand, lifting me up. At first, a shock of pain had gone up my back, and I immediately sat down. He pulled me up again, and I wobbled, now seeing my legs. My grey sweats were torn, holes in them all over. My blue shirt had blood stains on it, and sadly the cat fur was still there. It really is a miracle that I had no broken bones. I then focused, and sucked up any pain that went through my body each step.

It was official, I could walk. The three gave me thumbs up, and we all decided to rest in the cabin for the rest of the boat ride. Five hours had actually passed, and during those five hours, the group told me about the other passengers. Apparently, Jude had gone around and healed as much as he could before coming to heal Milla and I. There were no deaths, only flesh wounds and bruises. Thank goodness for that. I didn't want any deaths to happen, and I began to run away from the fight. If there were deaths, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. But all I have is a sword, and that means I can only do close combat. I'm not so sure that I can handle that kind of fighting. I mean, sure, when I was defending myself, but can't I attack from far away? Maybe I could learn some spells, since apparently I have a mana lobe.

"So, Jude. How come you keep sneezing around the day dreamer?" I heard Alvin's voice pipe up from the side of me.

"Huh? Do you mean Maren?" The med student looked at him with bewilderment, but he nodded. "I'm not sure. The last time I sneezed this much was when I was eating a tuna fish sandwich, and all these cats came over." Alvin and I stared at him, the idea clicking easily. I slumped down, and the man's grin just spread on his face. "But I don't think Maren has anything to do with that."

"Actually…" We both said in harmony, and looked at each other with horrified expressions. "Hey, wait! That's my line! No, stop saying what I'm saying!" Sighs came out of our mouths in defeat, but still gave each other a slight glare. Jude and Milla seemed amused by the commotion, but the med student gave us an expecting look.

I looked over at him, resisting the urge to blush. "I kind of… Have cat hair all over my clothes." My head hung low with disappointment. "Do you have a mild allergy with cats..?"

The student thought for a few seconds, before nodding. "It explains a lot of things, when you put it that way." So basically, I can't go anywhere near him until I get new clothes. Great…

"Even after all these times going through the water? That fur must stick." Milla folded her arms and looked up from her meditating position. I nodded, laughing nervously in response. "Your clothes are stubborn. We will need a way to get you new ones."

"I hope you aren't forgetting about my payment?" Alvin grinned, holding up his hand to get attention. "You can't go blowing cash in front of me, not even handing over the change."

"We're broke anyway. We'd have to wait until after we pay the debt." Jude tapped his temple in thought. "I guess I'll have to keep my distance from Maren until then." I cried a little inside with that statement. No more Jude near me? Awww… But that isn't too far away, right? I mean, Alvin gets payed in Nia Khera, and lies saying he was payed extra. To gain a good amount of money, though, we'd have to do a few jobs, sell a few things. Maybe get the hides off of monsters like Samantha did? Ewww, I can already feel a chill down my spine. Blood really isn't a good smell on me, and I really don't want to be touching beast hide that's possibly filled with disease.

. . . Holy cow, look at my complaining go.

I fell back on the ground from my sitting position, groaning. "How much longer until we reach Auj Oule?" I asked, looking over at Milla who apparently went back to meditating. "Uh… Alvin, tell me." The mercenary looked at me with a 'why me?' expression, but he just sighed and looked out the window.

"… I'd say about thirty more minutes. You can see the seahaven's figure from here." He replied, and both Jude and I had different replies. Jude sighed, looking down at his lap, while I let out a slight cheer. No more sitting in a boat that could sink at any moment!

I decided to push myself to my feet, and go over to the window to lean on it – but my arms were still a bit sore. My eyes glanced at my sheathed sword by my bed, then looked over at Alvin. He'll be teaching Milla how to use one. That will be my chance to learn! But… How would I be able to fight with sore arms? Suck it up? . . . Yeah, I'll suck it up. It's going to be painful, but it will pay off in the end, right?

A few minutes passed with me looking out the window with excitement. The shape of the seahaven was in sight, and getting bigger the more I stared. Except, I heard footsteps walk towards me, and I looked over to meet Milla with her hand on her hip.

"Will staring at it make it come by faster? That would be nice." She said, looking out the window with me.

I shook my head. "No, it won't go faster… I wish that's how life worked." I replied, then thought for a bit before a smile spread on my face. "Oh! But a game will!"

"A game? Hm, yes, I read in a book that humans create games to distract their minds from the time, therefore making it go faster. However, I have only read about 'treasure hunts' and 'hide-n-seek.'"

"Well, this one's a good beginner for you." The smile was still on my face as I looked back at Jude and Alvin who were talking. Meh, I'll let them have their boy time. "It's called 'I spy.' You start out by saying 'I spy with my little eye something that' and then say the color of an object or whatever it looks like."

"Interesting. I quite like the way it sounds." She smiled, clearly curious. "Mind showing me?"

"Sure, uh…" I had to look around the cabin, then outside and back. It's hard, maybe I should think of something easy. "I spy with my little eye something that's… Dark blue." I stated, looking at Milla who was already searching the area.

It was weird, seeing how she can get so serious in something as little as I Spy. Her eyes are so focused, and her whole expression in all is concentrated. After a bit, she let out a confident huff, pointing at the medical student.

"Jude."

"Correct!" I smiled, and we both had to wave in innocence when the specific boy looked over, confused. "Now, it's your turn."

The blonde nodded, looking around. "I spy with my little eye-" It's funny the way you say that. "-Something that's white." Oh, white. Hmm… The only things that are white are the workers, clouds, and sea foam.

"Uhh, the worker outfits?" I asked, already guessing. The Lord of Spirits nodded, seeming down.

"I thought that would be considered difficult."

"You two playing a children's game?" Alvin walked over with Jude in tow, a wide grin on his face. "I never expected such a violent lady playing I Spy."

"Maren said a small game would help us get to the seahaven faster." Milla folded her arms, looking over at the dark brunet. "Why? Would you like to join?"

"Why I Spy, though? Wouldn't Hide-n-seek be a little more fun?" The medical student looked over at me, and I could tell he was resisting a sneeze. Aw, how cute.

"Well, that game usually needs more than two people to make it actually fun. I didn't think there would be any spots for Teddy to hide in."

"Still calling me that…" The mercenary mumbled, combing his hand through his hair. "I can find places, you know." Milla and Jude mumbled my nickname for Alvin under their breaths in confusion as I folded my arms and grinned.

"Doubt it. Good places to hide usually require people my size."

"Well, yeah, you're short."

"Hey!"

Jude shook his head, looking at the two of us. "Well, who will be it?"

"A game of seeking those hiding from you. I've only read about it in books, but I believe I know enough." Milla smiled, seeming amused by the decision.

"Short stack, here, should be it." Alvin grinned, and before I could say anything the three took off for areas around the boat. I stood there, dumbfounded at their sudden actions. They didn't even tell me what number to count to. Ah, screw it, I'll just count to thirty.

* * *

"…Twenty eight, twenty nine, thirty! Ready or not, here I come!" I shouted as loud as I could, and walked out the door only to find workers staring at me weirdly. "It's a game…" I mumbled and began to walk around. Where to look first? It's honestly weird how these three agreed to play this game. The only thing I'm stumped on is where in the world would they each even hide?! Guess I'll just look in places where I'd try, first, then ask workers or use my imagination.

Looking around, I decided to check every single barrel I came across, remembering how Leia hides in one of them. Nope, no person here, or here. Or… Here… Well, barrels are off my list. Next would be behind crates. I continued to walk around, making sure to check behind each and every crate I came across. I almost gave up until I heard a small meow followed by a familiar sneeze.

A small grin spread across my face as I crept over to the wooden cubes, listening to the voice on the other side.

"I really wish my allergy wasn't pointed out to me…" Yep, that was Jude. I jumped on top of the crates, shouting his name with joy, and watched as he jolted by surprise.

"Ah!" He looked up at me, then slumped with a sigh. "Let me guess. I'm the first you found." I helped him out from behind, seeing the cat jump up along. I laughed a little as he began sneezing, again. Once he was good, we took a few steps away from each other, and began looking for Milla and Alvin.

As we walked, I could tell Jude was hiding something. Whenever I looked over at him, he'd immediately look away from the roof of the boat. You know, this made me pretty suspicious. So, I began to find ways to get up there. At the south end of the boat, there was a giant pile of crates, and I started to climb up each one. Jude stayed at the bottom in case I fell.

"Found you!" I shouted at the mercenary lounging in the middle of the roof. He flinched from the sound of my voice, and looked over with a rather surprised expression.

"Already? Honestly, I thought it would take you the whole boat ride to find me." He got to his feet, stretching, then walked over to get down. I heard the horn of the boat, signaling it was at the dock and settling in. "Well, whadaya know? It did." He grinned, then looked at Jude and me, the smile falling. "Where's Milla?"

"Uh, haven't found her?" I shrugged nervously, and after a few seconds of staring at each other, the three of us spread out, searching the whole boat. Crap, if we leave without her, then that would mean the end!

"Ready to unload!" One of the workers shouted from where the steering wheel was, and that just made us search more frantically. Not here, not here, not here, crap! Man, Milla is good with this game-

My eyes looked off the boat, seeing a familiar figure with blonde hair waiting on the dock. A little frustration could be heard in my tired sigh I gave, and Jude and Alvin seemed to notice and do the same thing. We got off to reunite with Milla, and she looked at us with her oblivious eyes.

"I'm surprised you didn't find me." She said, an amused smile spreading on her face. "I was hiding in one of the cabins." We each slouched. Well, then yeah we wouldn't find you. There were other people in those cabins. That'd be invading privacy.

We each began our walk to the gates of the seahaven that would get us off the dock. The sky was orange and pink due to the sun setting, and the seagulls were chirping all over. Cold wind blew, waves crashed against the structure, and you could already hear all the civilians. This is where the scenes start, again.

"It's hard to believe we're in a different country." Jude stated, looking around the seaheaven. "Although it feels just like home."

Alvin looked at him with a bored face. "Hm? Well, this part of Auj Oule isn't what I'd call exotic." He said, going to fold his arms. I looked at the two, seeing the melancholy expression on Jude's face before he shook his head to replace it with confidence.

"Oh, look! There's a map! Let me go check it out for a bit." And with that, he ran off, leaving a surprised Alvin. I almost forgot. The "sad and depressed" side of that kid is always forced aside, only reserved for if his parents ever had enough time to listen. Must be hard…

The two of us decided to catch up to Milla who had walked ahead. "Brave kid, the way he plays it cool." Alvin stated, keeping his eyes on the medical student as he checked the map on the board.

"Poor Jude…" I mumbled, which only received a glance from the mercenary.

"Decided to make the best of it, has he? He's not as immature as he looks. I still wish to see how Maren truly is." Milla put a hand on her hip, and I looked at her with an annoyed expression.

"Are you implying I'm immature? I mean, it's true, but it still hurts."

"Would it kill you to show a little concern?" Yeah, Alvin tell her! "You're the one who dragged them into this." And here's where I don't listen to the exact words they say. She'll talk about how Jude decided everything on his own, and… A homeless, orphaned girl technically has no home to go to, right? It's not like I'd have any goals, either, so can't blame Milla with me. Wait, crap, you'd actually blame Jude.

"Either way, he still acts like an adult." I heard Alvin mumble to himself after Milla walked ahead, and I looked at him, realizing that he actually stands up for Jude when he can. Hm, the pairing between him and Jude is a pretty good idea. Maybe I should joke about it on this adventure. Oh, sweet fandom.

We walked over to Jude by the board, and Milla mumbled with something about Nia Khera.

"So? You leaving?" Alvin asked, and the blonde shook her head.

"Alvin, you must be well versed with a sword. Mercenaries like you must have some battle chops." Oh, this is where she asks!

"Well, yeah, of course!" He nodded, looking between me and her.

"Could you teach me how to use one? With the four gone, I have nothing to guide my arm."

He combed his hand through his hair, thinking for a bit, and letting the words wrap around his mind. "The four..? Not sure I follow, but I'd be happy to teach you-"

"Oh, I also need teaching." I stood next to the spirit, and Alvin just looked at me as he continued.

"-If you had some cash."

I slumped, honestly feeling stupid for interrupting him. Well, let's just steal the game's idea. "Then, what if we… Did some of our own mercenary work? You get the reward while we do the work and the training." I said, straightening my back.

Alvin grinned, giving me a thumbs up. "You read my mind. I was just about to suggest that. There's got to be some paying customers here in the seahaven, right? Try asking that girl behind you." We each looked behind, only to meet a flustered, brown haired girl who was slowly approaching us.

"I-I'm sorry, I heard the word mercenary, and thought you might be one." She looked between each of us, and continued. "I hope you are, because then that would be perfect timing. I have a request."

"What kind of request?" I could tell Jude was uneasy from the girl suddenly approaching us. Seems like it's a better way than the game though. It'd be weird if one day some random people came up to you and asked if you had a problem. How would you even know if they did?

However, Alvin looked at us with an amused smile. "Someone's got a problem with monsters, and we get paid to solve it. Just like Maren said, you get the work, I get the reward. Everybody wins."

"Except the monsters." I pointed out, stealing his line. It's fun to do that. I feel like I could cosplay him or something.

The three looked at me, nodding with the idea clicking into their heads. Alvin's attention went back to the lady. "Okay, hit us with the details."

She immediately glowed, finally finding someone to do the job, I guess. "Some monsters we've never seen before are lurking in the lake west of the seaheaven. We depend on that lake for water, so they've become a nuisance by creating a surplus population. I hope you can get rid of them for us townspeople."

"And the reward?" Alvin pressed on.

"50,000 gald." She replied, and Jude took a step back. So technically $500 in American money. Each piece of gald in my mind is like a cent for this world… Always thought of it like that, and will never change my mind.

"50,000 gald for sword training?" He asked with disbelief, and Alvin sighed at his reaction.

"No, some is for food and other equipment. Anyway, thoughts?"

Milla nodded. "Sounds good to me. Fighting monsters will be perfect training." Jude and I looked at each other, then nodded as well, looking back at the woman.

"Excellent. Now these beasts are no pushovers, so please watch yourselves."

"Don't worry. We have a very violent lady, a short stack, and an honor student on our side." Alvin grinned, and we each sighed from the nicknames.

We began our way to the exit, me keeping distance from Jude. I looked at the upward climb in order to get to the field, and slumped. "How long will it even take us to get to the lake?"

"She said west, and by the look of the map, I'd say an hour and a half." Jude looked at me as we each began the climb. "That is, if we keep walking and not stop." An hour and thirty minutes of walking non-stop? Ugh, kill me now… At least that'll give me some time to think. Thinking seems to move things by faster. Let's see… Oh, you know what's been bothering me for a while? The fact I could hear the Four Spirits before Jude could even see them.

It's weird, especially since Milla is the only one who can really hear them. Maybe I'm special? Pfft, ha! I doubt that. And I definitely can't get that blurred figure out of my mind – the one that appeared before I passed out. It sounded like a female, and I can't quite remember what she said. Something about keeping someone from straying? The only thing I know of someone from straying is Alvin deciding to quit Exodus. There's also Milla with her role of Maxwell, and there's Jude not listening to his parents. Uhhh, yeah, not sure what that blur was talking about.

As I was thinking, something glimmered in the grass a few feet away. Being my curious self, I made my way towards it. Jude looked at me as I did with a confused face.

"Maren? Where are you going?" He asked, stopping in his tracks, and grabbing Alvin and Milla's attention.

"I think I found something." I bent down, picking up the object. It was a small jewel, dull and round. I brought it back to the group, and suddenly, the three had something of their own glimmering from various pockets.

Milla looked down at her shining orb. "Hm, my Lillium Orb is shining." And the scene clicked in my head.

"Mine, too!" Jude took his out from his pocket.

"Wait, you two have orbs, too? And I'm guessing she just found one? Great! We should try Linked combat. Consider it lesson one for sword fighting." Alvin walked over to me, taking the orb. Now that it shined, it became clear. There's a small flower bud in the middle, and the overall glowing color seems to look blue.

"What's that?" I asked, playing it innocent, and looking at the Mercenary as he handed back my item.

"Lillium Orbs are handy things. They let you sense your companion's intent. That's a huge advantage in battle. You can coordinate your thoughts to pull off combination attacks. We call this Linking." He waved his hand around as he explained, all three of us listening intently. Milla folded her arms, thinking for a bit, then asked how to trigger it. "Well, try it, and see for yourself. Focus your consciousness into the orb. We'll try it on each other, and for easy learning, you and Maren should Link. I'll do it with Jude."

I was so tempted to point out that's just how the fandoms want it, but decided to keep my mouth shut. I looked down at my discovery, placing it inside my pocket as I focused. Being how slow I am, I couldn't feel anything until something seeming to wrap around me.

"I have Linked with Maren." Milla stated, opening her eyes.

"How did you..?" I asked, looking up at her with surprised eyes. Linking feels… Surprisingly energizing. And no, I do not mean that in the fandom way.

Jude nodded, looking at Alvin, and the man grinned. "Fast learners. Makes things easier for me. Now, get out your weapons." We each reached towards them, equipping them easily. Boy am I glad the guard chose a light sword. "Remember, you can only link with someone when they're seen as a companion. So you can't really do it to predict your enemy's attacks." The three of us nodded, mine with a little bit of disappointment. "Okay, ready? For any kind of weapon, you need to have a stance that's comfortable, one where if you're in a tight spot, you're ready to run. That means you need to keep your legs spread apart. Next, keep your eyes on the opponent. Don't take them off until they're distracted from you." So, Jude, Milla, and I all spread our feet along the ground in comfortable positions.

_When we fight, you go after Jude._

I jumped a little at the sudden voice in my head. But I recognized it as Milla's and understood. Alvin continued speaking of small tips, keeping hopes up, looking for weak points, and knowing the weight of your weapon. We he was done, it was a training session with Jude/Alvin vs. Me/Milla.

Both teams charged, Milla and I crossing paths to reach our opponents. Apparently, Alvin must have thought of the same opponents as us. Probably because of size, and I do kind of feel a tad safer going against Jude.

I swung my blade, Jude blocking it with his gauntlet as he poked my side. Oh, right, I forgot to mention. In order to make this thing safe, our swords are in their sheaths, and Jude and Alvin have to refrain from too much damage.

Jude used Demon Fist, and I had to dodge the bundle of light, concentrating and observing. I need to know how to do artes. This time, he got close, leaning on the ground with his hand, and kicking up. I blocked with my sword, hearing the metals clang and skid. Not knowing exactly what to do I signaled it to Milla. She immediately came over, shooting a Flare Bomb towards the teen. It only blinded him, giving me an opening to run up and poke the end of my sheath in his side. Suddenly, Alvin was behind us, and Milla turned around, blocking the man's oncoming attack with a purple force.

"Nice one!" He complimented, but brought up his leg to poke the opposite where she held her sword. "But be sure to watch the rest of your body."

And that's when I snuck behind him to poke the end of my sheath in the middle of his back. I knew he could have dodged that, but he's going easy on us.

_Great work._

The two boys backed up from the both of us, the feeling of something wrapped around me disappeared. "Good job. You two figured it out pretty well. It's no surprise the honor student got it perfect. And like I said, handy, right?" We each nodded, confidence welling up inside me. I have a Lillium Orb, now. I can unlock knowledge of certain artes. Let's try it out.

We began walking once more, me concentrating on my item. It took me a while to figure it out how to see the skills. I swiped my hang across the area along the orb, like how Milla's doing it now, and noticed how there became a vision in front of me. The bud of the flower was enlarged, and there were all kinds of colored bubbles surrounding it. I tapped around, the names popping up in my mind. It was as if I had known all of these things deep down. This way, I'm sure it'll make it easier to-

"Fire Ball..?" I read aloud, and Milla turned towards me.

"Ah, I see. Your orb must think you can do Spirit Artes." She said, looking at the orb in my hand.

"You have the ability to cast Spirit Artes? That's pretty impressive." Alvin mentioned, a slight sound of disappointment in his voice. I wonder why… Okay, well, no time to waste with this one.

I tapped the bubble, and it was like I already knew how to do it. The knowledge just poured in, and the bubble filled with a glowing white. Then, the vision stopped, and I put the Lillium Orb back in my pocket. So not only will I be using a sword, I'll be casting, too. Am I a rip off of Milla or something?

* * *

It took a little bit more than an hour and thirty minutes to reach our destination thanks for my curious self. We were a bit of a distance from the water hole, and already we could see the monsters.

"There. Those must be the monsters we're supposed to get rid of." Jude whispered, and we each hid behind our own tree.

Milla nodded in agreement. "Indeed. They certainly don't look like the normal fauna for this area."

"Are there more than three or..?" I looked at Alvin nervously, and he held up the number on his hand. Five monsters. Thank goodness it's only two more.

He then prepared his sword and loaded his gun, getting out from behind the wood. "Alright, let's get the job done!"

"No holding back." I heard Milla say before it felt like something wrapped around me, again.

_Take the Merfish._

And we each ran towards the group of monsters, preparing each of our weapons for real, this time. Like I was asked, I went towards the merfish, except I stayed back a few feet. Alright, let's test the fireball. I held my sword out in front of me, the instructions from the Lillium Orb flowing into my mind. '_Concentrate on the enemy, find the heat in the air, and use the incantation.'_

"Oh, flickering blaze burn…" I quoted from Rita, "Fire ball!" A crackling sound came from in front of me as the casting circle evaporated into the spherical flame. _'Force the arte forward.' _And just like that, I thrusted my sword into the fireball, sending it toward the Merfish, and burning it like a steak. I jumped with Joy when the monster stumbled, crying in pain.

_Maren, charge with me!_

Milla's voice rang, and I did, holding the blade out in front of me, attacking it from the front as Milla did the back. Two foes were down, Milla already taking care of hers. Three more to go. It's nice Linking. It's like I have Milla's courage flowing through me. The blonde ran in front, reaching one of the crabs, and binding it with a purple force. Oh, right, this is her linking skill.

"Now!" She shouted, and I actually hesitated for a second. Where would I attack it..? It has a shell!

_Focus mana into the sword, and swiftly glide it across the ground._

So I did, shouting out the name that popped in my mind. "Demon Fang!" And the monster flipped over, Milla jumping to stab it in the gut. I stood surprised, knowing that wasn't an instruction from the Lillium Orb.

"Hey, Day Dreamer! Could use a fire ball over her!" I looked over at Alvin, feeling relaxed instead of courageous. Oh, I was linked with him, now!

I got in my stance, mumbling the incantation. "Fire ball!" I shouted, letting the other crab in front of him burn. He shot a few bullets behind me, and I looked behind. I must have stood still for too long, since a wolf had almost bit my side. I nodded towards the mercenary in thanks.

_No problem._

And the feeling of being linked went away. We looked around each of us at the dead monsters, and sheathed our weapons.

"You did surprisingly well." Milla walked up to the side of me, an arm on her side. "However, it was as if I was sharing your hesitation. You should know that only creates danger in a battle. If I hadn't switched you to Alvin, the monster would have broken free of my bind." And she shoots down my balloon of proudlyness.

"I-I'll keep that in mind." I replied, slouching a little, then looking at Alvin. "But now what? Do we move these bodies somewhere else?"

"Nah, you keep them here. This kind of stench comes off of monsters when they die, telling others to run away from the area. It'll keep the water hole free of monsters for a few months." He placed his hands lazily behind his head, and we each began our walk back to the town.

Jude walked closer to Milla, asking if she was okay. She replied with how she can't complain with this possibly being the best way to train. I could see the relief on the boy's face before he looked ahead, leaving me to only see the back of his head. He must feel soothed knowing that there wasn't any near death situations in this battle. Heck, even I'm soothed about it. It's also a really awesome thing that I learned two artes, today! And one of them even being a spell!

On our way back, many skits passed. One about Alvin trying to hear about the Key of Kresnik from Milla, another about Jude saying he put all of this on himself, and my favorite that comes back to hit him is where Alvin tries to explain his gun to Jude. I had to keep quiet during that talk, because I already know what it is, and I didn't want to make it obvious by letting something slip.

It took a while, but I could finally see the gates of the seahaven, and boy were my feet happy about that. "Ah, finally! A place to sit!" I hummed with delight, skipping ahead of the group.

"There's the weird girl from Fennmont." Alvin grinned, receiving a confused look from Jude.

"Does that have to do with what you said about her doing weird voices on the ship?" He asked, and the mercenary just nodded. Once we made it to the bottom of the hill and through the gate, I ran as fast as I could to a nearby bench. It was the nearest one – by the inn. Which I knew we'd be staying at anyway. The three looked at me with amusement before walking over to the girl from earlier. They did their little chat while I enjoyed my small moment of rest. Of course, I had to get up and run over pretending to be concerned when Milla fell down.

"Hmm… No fever. How are you feeling?" Jude asked as he checked her temperature and pulse.

"I don't seem to have any strength." She said after thinking for a bit.

I bent down, the opposite side of Jude so he doesn't sneeze. "Probably from walking, to fighting, to walking again. That's how I don't have any strength."

Then, a loud growl was heard, coming from the blonde's stomach. "Uh, have you been eating properly?" The med student asked, slowly letting go of the area of her wrist, looking as though he could face palm at any moment.

"I've never eaten. Through Sylph, I drew life from the air." Meaning she gathering the needed nutrients. "With Undine's power, I received sustenance from the water." So she was constantly hydrated.

"What's she talking about?" Aw, Alvin's faking innocence like I do.

"I guess the spirits gave her everything she needed." Jude shrugged, standing and helping Milla up.

"Never getting to eat must be depressing. Food is tasty." I stated, standing straight, myself.

The spirit patted her stomach with amazement. "I see, so this is what you call hunger. Fascinating." She snickered as we tried to each keep her up. From me talking about food, I suddenly felt as though I was choking, and heard a growl of my own.

"Ah, I just remembered I haven't had food since this morning!" I held my stomach, the aching starting to come back in. "It's been a long day, and I haven't even thought about a single snack..? Who am I?"

Alvin just chuckled, guiding us to the building I was sitting near, before. "I'm sure we could all use some grub, ourselves. Here, we'll stay at the inn." And so we did.

I could barely make it up the stairs. My tiny rest from before only made the aching of my feet worse, probably letting them do their swelling. Jude and Alvin were probably the ones doing the most work with helping Milla up the stairs. I just felt awkward holding her up from behind. Of course, I did get to the front of our group to open the heavy doors.

The inside was actually pretty amazing. It was comfortably warm, and the dim lights just made it seem cozy. I think I can definitely sleep here and not worry about rats crawling about.

As we reached the front desk, Milla had to lean on me in order to stay up. She was rubbing her stomach as it kept growling. Probably as hungry as me.

"Three rooms, please. But before that, can we get something to eat?" Alvin asked, leaning on the desk.

The man stopped from shuffling through the papers, looking up at all of us. "Oh, my apologies, but our cook isn't in, yet." And with that, Milla became heavier on my shoulder, and I grunted out, trying to stay standing. "Hey, is she okay?" The worker asked with a concerned look.

Jude sighed, looking from Milla to the man. "Can we at least use your kitchen?" He asked, and the man immediately nodded.

"Yes, please, help yourself. Your friend looks like she's about to pass out, and the other's about to collapse." You got that right…

Alvin nodded towards the man before coming over, and pulling Milla off of me. We guided her to the table, as Jude dashed into the kitchen to whip something up.

"My stomach, it really is growling!" She noted as we sat her down, then she snickered, again. "And here I thought that was just a silly human expression."

"Well, it's not so silly now, is it?" I asked, sitting in a seat next to her. She just chuckled, as a wonderful, wafting smell came from the kitchen. I could feel a bit of drool down my chin, and I could hear Alvin do his own little laugh.

"You two have the exact same faces, it's hilarious." He grinned, and I immediately wiped off the drool and blushed.

After a few minutes of groaning to the starving stomach, the smell only became greater, and a bowl was placed in front of my face. I immediately sat up, mumbling a quick thank you before shoving the food into my mouth. Milla seemed to do the same as Jude and Alvin just calmly ate.

"Hey," Alvin took a few more bites before continuing. "Not bad."

"Not bad? It's good!" Milla said, a bright smile on her face as she sat up. "I quite enjoy ingesting calories with you." That's a great sentence. "Humans should learn to cherish these simple pleasures."

"Ah~ Food! I already know it's one of the best things in the world." I chowed another few scoops down, and Jude looked over at both me and the spirit.

He laughed a little. "You two sure eat fast. You're already almost done."

We both looked down, seeing of how there's only a few more scoops left. Milla ate the rest as I sat back and patted my stomach.

"I think I'm… Good…" My eyes slowly closed, and I heard a bowl get pushed aside. Oh, Milla's falling asleep, and this is where Jude and Alvin talk about her being the Great Spirit, Maxwell. I'll just fall asleep, too, since I really don't want to hear this conversation. I could already hear their voices speak, but could only hear them as muffles.

Today's been a pretty big day. Long, aching, and scary, but still had some good things in it, too. Tomorrow, we'll head out to Nia Khera, first visiting Hamil. I'll get to see Teepo for the first time. I wonder what he looks like. Well, I won't know until the time comes.

* * *

**Ha! I have finally answered why Jude's sneezing, and had OCMaren contemplate about the weird things going on! Yes, there was a Vesperia reference in here. :3**

**If you're wondering if I made it up about Jude being slightly allergic to cats, there's actually a skit in the second game where it says he can handle them from a distance until they start coming closer. The entire time, he sneezes, too, and it's ADORABLE- *slaps myself***

**Anyway, I won't be posting the next chapter for a while, since, you know, I'm going on vacation for a bit. Where? To GERMANY! For three weeks, too, so I really do apologize if the next chapter doesn't come out for a really long time.**

**Enjooooooooy~**

**Oh, and if you're new, please review and tell me if this is good or not! I must know so I have more confidence to make more chapters!**


	8. 8 Timothy

**Heeeeeeeyyyyy, I'm baaaaaaack.**

**Sorry, this chapter is only around 5,000 words! I had to rush because, you know, I felt like it. . . . No, I actually just needed to get these ideas down. Yay!**

**Anyway, thank you _Izeiya_ for doing a shoutout to my story! Migosh, it made my day when I read (red) it. Why is read and read spelled the same yet sounded differently? (Oh, and thank you to all the others who shared their confidence with me!) **

**Onward!**

**Disclaimer: I have no owner-boat, washtub, ship- WHATEVER over Tales of Xillia!**

* * *

The next morning, my eyes refused to open due to the bright light just beyond the darkness. Ugh… What time is it..? My hands began to push me up as I forced to see my surroundings. I looked around, and noticed that there wasn't really bright light, after all. It was dark, and the moon was shining in the black sky. Looking to my right, Milla was laying still in her bed, enjoying her first ever night of rest. I'm jealous of how she can stand to lay on her back for this long.

Well, I can't say "this long" because I have no idea what time it is. And… When did I get in my bed? I fell asleep at the table, and-

Alvin must have carried me up here… I mean, it couldn't have been Jude considering he sneezes every time we're close. I was actually rather surprised he didn't sneeze while we were sparring, yesterday. Maybe his mind was too focused on something else that the sneeze never really came? Yeah, maybe that's it.

When I decided to just lay back down and sleep until the sun, some footsteps out in the hall caught my attention. They were light, but loud enough for someone who's too use to the silence by now to hear. I swung my feet over the side of the bed, not bothering to take my shoes. That would just make my footsteps as loud as the ones in the hall. And I definitely don't want to wake the Lord of Spirits over there.

So, I kept my socks on, carefully inching my way towards the door. The first thing I did was put my ear up to it to see if there was any sound. No, the footsteps got softer and quieter as they went down the stairs. This made me curious, and I slowly opened the door – as quiet as I could. When I made a small squeak, I flinched, looking over at the blonde to make sure she didn't wake. Honestly, I couldn't really tell. Her face was still, and it was pretty dark to see any opened eyes.

I let out a small breath that I didn't realize I was holding, and pushed the door open a little more to get out. My dark brown eyes wandered the hallway, not recognizing any of it from the game. I slowly started to walk through the dim light, finding the way to the stairs, and going down. At first, I cautiously peaked around the corner.

I was cautious in case it was Alvin, because he could be doing Exodus work at this time. But what I saw… Was Jude. He seemed to be hesitant on opening the front doors of the inn, and I had to wonder why. His navy blue jacket was off with only the long, white under shirt with purple outlining on. Of course, his black pants were tucked into the boots he had on.

A shaky breath escaped his mouth as his bare hand slowly pushed open the wooden door. And he was out.

I hesitated a little, remembering the clothes I was wearing. It kept repeating in my head that I should go talk to him, see what's up. But his allergies… How will I keep him from sneezing?

Then, it was like this simple idea popped in my mind.

A brilliant one.

* * *

The medical student was sitting on a bench close to the water. A tired sigh escaped his lips as he looked down. Then, scuffing footsteps reached his ears, and looked over to where the sound was coming from. His eyes widened a little.

"M-Maren..?" He asked, confusion over powering his urge to smile. I walked over, the giant blanket from my bed wrapped all around me, only showing my face. I looked like a wrinkly potato.

"Sup." I replied with a small smile, holding up a covered hand. Scuffling over, I awkwardly sat next to Jude, and tried my best to turn towards him. Ugh, this blanket is too stiff… But at least he's not sneezing.

"Why are you like that..?" It was a bit too easy to tell that he was both dumbfounded by my randomness, and resisting to laugh.

I swung my feet a little, tightening the cloth around me. "It's cold. Aren't you? If not, you're crazy. Then again, everyone has different temperatures they prefer. And everyone's crazy in their own way… Oh, crap. I said too much. There go the secrets of the world."

Listen to Jude's nervous laugh in the background.

"You sure know how to be… Random." He leaned back on the bench, returning his gaze to the ocean in front. I mumbled a 'thank you' before I did the same. The waves were slightly calmer than earlier, and there was no boat in front of us, blocking the view. The sky was clear, millions of stars in sight. Moon was just done with being full, so you could tell it wasn't quite as round as it could be.

For a long while, it was quiet. All you could hear were the waves crashing against the walls of the seahaven. It made me a little uneasy. Here I was, wrapped up tightly in a giant blanket just to talk to this cute teen- *slap* and yet I'm not even doing my goal! Well, I did talk to him at first, but… That was just a greeting.

"…Can't sleep?" He eventually spoke, and I jumped a little, looking over. His amber eyes were covered by that neat, raven hair. It was hard to tell what emotion was even written on his face, since the only light source is the moon.

I nodded a little. "Kinda. I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. You know, Milla can be a pretty deep sleeper. I'm jealous how she can sleep so soundly with the ocean nearby." I tried to joke, but got nothing in return. Not even a huff of amusement. This worried me, so I hesitated before trying to push on. "What about you? Gotten any sleep at all?"

"None…" He muttered, head still down. "I just… It's hard to process everything that's going on."

"You and me, both." In more ways than one, for me. This world is just fictional, according to Earth. "For me, though… I don't know, it's hard to even think it's not happening." The medical student raised his head a little, looking over at me.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because…" Real life never felt like real life. "My brother taught me that I should believe what I see is real." And sometimes I would feel like that even though my body is moving, I'm just there, watching. "Kind of hard to stray from what you were taught since you were born."

"I see… I can sort of relate." And his head went back down. Darn it. "It's amazing how you don't seem fazed by any of this. Being an enemy, traveling and helping the Lord of Spirits herself, having a Mercenary, being away from what I'm use to… It seems like a story." You have no idea.

It was silent, again, before I laughed a little at the thought. "Maybe it is, and someone's secretly controlling everything, recording it down." Just to creep him out.

An amused huff was heard next to me, and he decided to sit up straight. "If that's true… Then the reason why they've chosen us to be in the story is a mystery to me."

"Usually people who think they'll live normal lives are always the ones who become part of an adventure out of their box." Like me. On this adventure, we'll camp, risk food, fight to the death, and even be on our toes for nights. I never thought I'd ever do any of it.

Silence… Ugh, why am I awkward with finding topics? Jude's been finding them for me. No way am I bringing up bananas, or any other fruit and why they're how they are. He'll most likely have the answer, anyway. I guess I could ask him about Fennmont, but that could actually make him feel worse. Maybe ask to see if anything good will come out of this? Or what the Lance of Kresnik could be used for? Or maybe-

"Maren?"

I froze to slightly melt at him saying my name, but had to shake my head to snap out of it.

"Yes..?" I asked, looking over at him after struggling in the blanket.

"About your brother…" My heart skipped a beat. "Professor Haus should have told me about him." Crap. "He told me about all of his patients. What's your brother's name?" His orange eyes met mine, and I felt a sudden clump in my throat.

He'll know, he'll figure it out! I should run, make an excuse. They're not ready for otherworld stuff, yet. They're not ready for future actions!

"Um… Timothy. I call him Tim because I'm lazy." I tried to shrug, but couldn't because I felt myself shaking. At least the cloth was thick, so Jude couldn't see it. "Are you sure Haus never told you about him?"

"Well, he doesn't have any mystery patients. Prinn would have told me about them." Prinn..? Oh, right, the medical student that comes in to greet Jude after healing Eldin's leg. "Are you sure he even… Exists?"

"Of course he does!" I shouted, quickly standing up. "H-He's my brother… Why would I make him up?"

Those orange eyes were skeptical. They were scanning my expression, the look in my eyes. He looked away, tapping his temple in thought as I slowly sat back down. I noticed how my right hand had slipped through an opening in the blanket. It was shaking, trembling with either fear or the cold. Did Jude see that? Don't tell me he's suspicious of me, already?

He sat there in silence before standing. "Never mind. It's late, we should probably try to go back to sleep."

"…You were never asleep in the first place." Smiles were faint on our expressions, and I stood up to join him – walking into the inn. When we reached the stairs, we both murmured 'good night' before turning our separate ways. I had to take off the giant blanket before slipping through the crack to my room. Walking over to my bed, I placed the giant cloth back on it, glancing at Milla's bed. Wait…

She wasn't there.

A gasp escaped my lips as I rushed to the bed, feeling the blankets in case she finally decided to roll over. But I couldn't feel anything as big as a human figure. No, no, no, did she run off?

"You and Jude aren't related. Are you?" I flinched at the voice, slowly looking over at the window. Milla's cold, magenta eyes glistened in the mood light. "And the brother you mentioned earlier about being eaten by a monster… Is he non-existent like Jude said? Or is what you claim true?" I swear I could feel some sweat down the side of my face. Since when had Milla been listening to our conversation? Her meditating must really sharpen her senses.

"Did you eavesdrop on us..?" My voice cracked a little, but it was too late to fix it.

"I would like you to answer my question first. If you answer honestly, we shall continue hibernating for the night."

When did she become suspicious with me..? What gave something away? I can't let them know the truth, yet! They won't be prepared!

"My brother exists… I won't lie about my family." I straightened my back, turning towards her as she stepped in the light. Boy, was my heart beating in my ears…

"And to answer your question, you simply woke me by taking off the covering of your bed. Leaving in the middle of the night will make many skeptical."

I let out a small sigh, already getting a headache from all the questions running through my head. I almost wanted to blurt out 'I'm not a part of Exodus' but that would make even more problems. So, I began to make my way to my bed, but turned towards her for one last question.

"Are you… Suspicious about who I am?"

"A question like that would make me so. However, I will answer anything at another time. Now, sleep." And she lied down, closing her eyes. Fear welled up inside me, and I felt like she could even hear my heart if she could hear that conversation from the window. It would be even scarier if she could read my thoughts. If she finds out I'm from another world, she'll put it together with Exodus – not an innocent victim.

Ugh, sleep is starting to come in… I'll just lay down, forget everything, and start our way to the Kijara Sea Falls tomorrow…

* * *

"_**You seem obsessed with this wish."**_

_What..?_

"_**Very well. If you seek it so, I shall grant it. The humans from your world are a peculiar bunch, anyway."**_

_Why… Why is there a white blur in front of me? Why can't I see it clearly? The voice sounds like a boy, but… I'm so confused. What's going on?_

"_**If you know the future, you know how she strays. You must prevent it."**_

_Now it sounds like an older male. What the-_

"_**He ordered me to bring you to this world for a reason."**_

_Wait a second, you! You're the green light from before I went unconscious! Who are you talking about?!_

"_**Since you know our world, help her to not stray. If you do… Then you have disobeyed his orders!"**_

_W-Wait, no! Be more clear-  
_

"AH!" I sat up, feeling as though I had been violently pushed back. My eyes glanced around, looking for the blurs, but found only our room. The sun's morning light was shining through the window, and I wiped my forehead. It was wet… Was I sweating?

"Did you have, what you humans call, a nightmare?"

I looked to the right of me, finding Milla sitting on the side of her bed. Nodding slightly, I swung my feet off the cushion, but winced when I tried to stand.

"Hm. You must have reopened a wound. Come, I believe Alvin is waiting downstairs." The blonde stood, helping me to my feet. I mumbled a 'thank you' before we each made our way out the door.

What was that? If felt like a dream, but… At the same time, it didn't. 'You have disobeyed his orders..' Whose orders? The way she sounded was familiar. Panicked, yet infuriated. Three different voices, each saying something different. What on Earth could it mean?!

We walked down the stairs and made a left, going into the lobby. There, Alvin stood against a wall that stuck out. He looked at the both of us with a grin.

"Good morning, Alvin. I'm sorry you had to carry us up there." Milla said as we walked over.

"Don't worry about it. Just part of the job." He replied, winking at us.

I scoffed at what he said, placing my hands on my hips. "Acting innocent? I know you were planning on taking us into your room. Be lucky Jude is watching you, or else."

"I'm acting innocent? You just proved you aren't as pure as you seem. That's… A bit too dirty for me to do, you know." Then it was Alvin's turn to scoff at me, and Milla just tilted her head in bewilderment. Oh, look at this lovely relationship we have. "Anyway, what now?"

Just as Milla was about to tell us her plans, a familiar voice reached our ears.

"Good morning!" Jude walked over, a smile on his face. I almost let a frown form on my own, knowing that smile was probably forced.

The Lord of Spirits turned towards him, looking pleased by his presence. "Good day, Jude. I was just about to share my plans with Maren and Alvin."

"What is it..?"

"I'm thinking of returning to Nia Khera." She stated, folding her arms.

I folded mine, as well. "Yeah, I've figured that for a while, actually. My brother use to say it was a town that still worships spirits. Maxwell, especially."

"Tim must have been really knowledgeable." Jude looked at me, the suspicion clear in his eyes. I took a slight step back, hoping Milla and Alvin didn't notice.

"Tim? Uh, who's that?" Alvin asked, looking at the both of us.

"Her/my brother." We said at the same time, and the man just sweat dropped from the sudden sync.

The blonde woman, however, just shook her head impatiently. "Anyway, Nia Khera is where my shrine is. If I go there, I may be able to re-summon the Four." I heard Alvin mumble his line about her really being Maxwell before putting my attention back on the spirit. "That's where you and Maren come in, Jude. Will you accompany me to Nia Khera?" We both harmonized a sound of confusion to her request, and she continued. "It's true that you two brought your current situation upon yourselves, but I bare some of the blame, as well. I'll put in a good word with you with the people of Nia Khera. I'm sure they'll look after you."

"Wow, you've put a lot of thought into this." Alvin said with surprised joy.

"Yes. Remember when you said I seemed unconcerned? I decided to take that to heart." So, you're not as coldhearted as you seem to be. That's nice, definitely will remember that when, you know, I have a sword up to my neck because I'm being accused as a member of Exodus.

Jude shifted his feet uneasily. "Milla, you don't need to worry about your swordplay, anymore?"

"No need to concern yourself with my martial abilities."

"Well, if nothing else, you and Maren know how to swing the pointy end. Just… Don't kill each other." I slapped Alvin's arm playfully from the thought.

"If anything, we'll just be accidentally hurting ourselves." I grinned. "But, I have nowhere else to go, so I'll come to Nia Khera, if you want."

Jude looked down, processing the whole situation in his head. I could see the conflict in his expression, but he forced himself to relax, and looked at Milla. "Alright, I'll go with you, too."

"Good, you needn't worry." She smiled at the both of us, and Alvin pushed himself off from the wall.

"A little more practice wouldn't hurt, though." He said, letting his arms fall to his sides.

"But I really only have this sword for defense…" I countered, looking up at the brunette, and knowing he was referring to me even though the line is in the game.

"And what if we can't fight, and you're the only one left?"

"Poo…" My arms folded as I pouted, looking away. Right… I'd have to be prepared for a situation like that…

He chuckled slightly, turning around. "Better safe than sorry. Come find me whenever you're ready to go."

"Wait, you're coming with us, Alvin?" Jude stepped forward with a surprised expression.

"He kind of has to." I looked at the med student. "I mean, we haven't given him his payment, yet."

"Yeah, what she said. And why not? I've come this far." And he was out. Yeah, right. I know what you're hiding. You just need an excuse to keep watch of Milla.

We all stood there for a few seconds, each wondering what to do. I looked at the two with a wide smile before saying, "I'm going after Alvin. You two figure stuff out."

"Figure… Huh?"

"Byyyyye~!" I rushed out before Jude could even stop me. Any alone time with those two, and I'd be stressed out more than I am. I bet they'd be asking questions about my brother and whether I was telling the truth or not. I don't want to answer those in fear I'll mess something up… But I'm not lying about catching up to Alvin. I need to ask him an extremely important question!

"No, you are not having my jacket."

"Puhleeeeeeease?" I slumped, hugging Alvin's arm as he wrote a few things down on a piece of paper. "It's so I don't have to stay away from Juuuuude!"

"And why should I help you get clingy to your crush?" He grinned, looking down at me. My face turned red as I glared up at him.

"He ain't mah crush!" I stomped and let go, looking down. "I just, uh… Well… What if there comes a situation where there's this crazy girl after Jude and I'm the only one available to get him out of the area? I don't want him sneezing all the time, possibly killing brain cells!"

He wrote a few more things down. "Wouldn't that crazy girl be you, though?"

"Shuddup…" I muttered under my breath, and folded my arms. "Fine, I don't need it anyway. I'll just carry a giant blanket around with me, huddled up and looking like a potato-"

"Come on, I was just teasing you." Alvin chuckled, folding the piece of paper in an envelope and tying it to the dove's leg on his shoulder. The bird flew, and he slipped his jacket off to hand it to me. I smiled up at him, taking it from his grasp and putting it on me.

"I thank you from the bottom of my crazy heart." I said, bowing stiffly. He just scoffed, fixing his tie.

We both stood there, leaning against the wall, and listening to the noisy crowds of people. If I remember right, in the game there's no music going on here until your third visit. Or is it your second? I don't know, just enjoy the noise that you have, Maren! Gosh…

"I see you switched clothes." Jude said as he walked over behind Milla. He laughed nervously, seeing how the sleeves were a bit too long for me. Seriously, this jacket could be a dress.

"Only because Princess of Daydreams wouldn't stop asking." Alvin joked, giving a big grin towards me as I pouted. "Anyway, ready to hit the road?"

The medical student nodded, and turned to look at the blonde. "Milla, you said it's north of here?"

"How far of a walk..?" I hesitantly asked.

She put her hand on her hip with confidence. "Less than half a day's flight time. If we could fly using Sylph's power." We each slouched, knowing that the trip would be way longer than that.

"Oh, well I'm afraid my wings are, you know, non-existent." Alvin said with a hint of annoyance. Quick, someone summon Kratos, Colette, or Zelos. "Man… I hope we'll find a place to rest along the way."

"The map showed a village in that direction, so we should be okay." Leave it to Jude to memorize the whole map of Auj Oule.

Milla let her arm fall to her side. "Either way, we can't just stay here. We must press forward." We all nodded in agreement, and I realized the scene doesn't just cut off here. Right… Didn't Alvin say yesterday that each field takes at most eight hours to cross? We might have to set up a camp or something.

"Shouldn't we buy some food for along the way? You know, for lunch?" I shrugged, and the three thought about it before each agreeing. "Great! I request sammiches!"

"Sammiches..?" Jude repeated, giving me a bewildered face. "Well, it's definitely easy to make. And we'll be able to each them while walking. I see no harm in that one."

"Yeah, I'll go get the ingredients." Alvin held up his hand before walking off to the stands. Jude and I both looked at Milla, seeing her drool a little at the sound of the food.

"Uhh… Hungry, wise spirit?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips with an amused grin. "We shouldn't skip on breakfast. Let's take advantage of the inn. We'll have some left overs for Alvin." I began to lead the way, Jude and Milla following behind. I'm guessing they agreed on what I was thinking.

* * *

Jude, Milla, and I were sitting at the same table we were at last night. Milla was torn between many things on the menu that Jude just decided to order two pancakes for each of us. It was pretty funny to watch, seeing Milla drool over every description of each serving. She had no argument with pancakes, but you could tell she wanted to have more.

So, here we are, eating away at our food – three cups of water in front of us. Jude even had to ask for a forth plate, just in case Alvin walked in to join us.

Which, uh… He did.

"Having breakfast without me? I'm hurt." The mercenary walked over, holding of bag full of (I'm guessing) ingredients over his shoulder.

I looked up at him, pointing at the forth plate with cakes from a pan. He understood, and I swear I saw a slight expression of surprise before he sat down. Milla had finished, I had a couple bites left, and Jude had been playing with his last piece for some time, now. The table was quiet, and every now and then Jude and I would make eye contact. I could tell he was still thinking about our conversation last night, and Milla must be thinking about something similar. Alvin was either quiet about it, or had no idea. It made me feel guilty that I can't really tell the truth to these guys, yet. A lot of things will happen that I might not be able to change. Let's see… What's one of the tragic things coming up that I might have a chance to change? . . . The only thing I can think of is Cline's death. Around then, I'd have to either choose to go with Milla's side to get captured, or Jude's side to witness the Land Lord's fate. Not to mention that Milla's legs will lose feeling. Man, that part of the story kind of changes everything…

"Aren't you all thinking real hard?" Alvin piped up, and our eyes went to him. "Serious faces, awkward glances. Just what happened between dinner and now?"

Last night. That's what happened.

"Just some questions rising." Milla replied, glancing at my plate of food that still had the two bites left.

I slide the plate over before saying, "Yeah, something like that…" And I glanced at Jude who finally decided to eat his last pancake.

The man just nodded, finishing his own food, and standing up. "Well, this seems like a repeat, but… Come find me when we're ready to take sail."

"Gotcha."

"Understood."

"Alright…"

**Yaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy, I put in a part that I seriously hope doesn't spoil things. So! I honestly mentioned a few things in here that I have been planning for a while, got some suspicion going on, and even went a little crazy. :3**

**I hope you liked this short chapter, and I will work hard to make the next one longer!**

**Please review to tell me how you like it or if there's anything I need fixing.**


	9. 9 Into Hamil

**Ey! Uh, well, I slightly got a bit of writers block with this chapter. I had ideas, yes, but I just didn't know how to tie them together.**

**Also! When you're finished reading, check my profile! I've made a Facebook page for some Sketching and Comic strips of this story. Since I don't think I explain many things well, it's to help you imagine looks and scenes a little better. The link is in my profile, and I bet you'll have to copy'n paste that bugger or just search Mewnia on Facebook. There will also be updates with that page telling you when the next chapter will be. Beware of crazyness, though.**

**Moving on! Long intro, huh? Please don't (mentally) kill me if this chapter is not quite as good as the others.**

**Disclaimer: Me no own Xillia.**

* * *

"So if we're crossing these couple fields… Won't that take sixteen hours? We'll at least need one set of tents."

"Sixteen? What are you talking about?"

"You said it takes at most eight hours to cross each field."

"Oh, did I?"

"… You big, fat liar…"

Alvin chuckled as he put his hands behind his head. My arms were crossed, and I went up to Milla in the front just to get away from him. Guess each field doesn't take eight hours. But it'll still be a long time until we reach Hamil.

"Maren." Milla spoke from the left of me. Crap, now I regret coming up to her. "When Alvin and Jude have created a bit of a distance, it'll be safe for me to answer your questions."

"O-Okay…" I looked behind at the two boys, seeing how they were probably three feet back. I guess Milla was suspicious with how well Alvin could hear, given how far away he is. He did try to sneak some information when she was talking to herself about the Spyrix Key.

I tried to prepare for the questions that both Milla and I will bomb down. She probably expects me to be from Exodus, and is planning to assassinate her. No, I could never kill a human being… It would be too scary. Besides, I'd have Jude hating me forever if I did kill Milla. I don't want that. But seriously, what questions should I prepare for?

As I was thinking, I could hear Jude and Alvin talking in the background. Probably about Milla or other guy stuff. I hope Jude isn't passing on his suspicion of me to Alvin. That would be bad, especially since he has a gun, and I can definitely see that up to my head. Though, maybe I shouldn't stress about any of this. Maybe it'll all be ignored, eventually. I hope so… I don't want to be telling them the future where I know they'll try to change a few things that are actually needed.

Ugh, get my mind on something different!

Chocolate milk. There. Think about that.

It actually took a while for Jude and Alvin to start falling back a little ways. Though, you know what's nice? Right when Milla was about to open her mouth, Jude suggested we make the lunch meal we had planned. You can imagine how relieved I felt when that happened. We all sat down in a circle – well, square – and began to make our own sandwiches. Milla had actually taken most of the stuff, so Jude had to make hers for her. It was a pretty funny scene to watch.

"Ah, Milla. You probably shouldn't take the whole pile of ham."

"Is there a problem with it?

"Here, let me take care of it…"

"Hmph. When the four were here, even they did everything for me… I didn't even have to eat."

"Here, Milla."

Even during the time while we were eating pancakes back at the inn. It was actually about sleep.

"Milla, how was it sleeping for the first time?"

"It was very relaxing, and I felt refreshed in the morning. I was actually going to go back to sleep until Maren woke up."

"Milla, you probably shouldn't sleep too much. That can be unhealthy."

"Really? Interesting. When the four were here, I actually didn't have to sleep at all."

"Well, then this should be a cherished moment."

Yeah, those two really are fun to listen to. Milla being her oblivious self, and Jude trying to act like a parent to her. Can't wait until Leia comes in. Then Jude will definitely have to be a parent.

We began walking, again. Everyone having their own sandwich in hand, and already starting to eat. We ran into a couple monsters, but Alvin and Milla took care of them while Jude and I held their food. When Milla came over to get her sandwich, she'd actually try to take mine. Multiple times. It took effort to prevent it. Eventually, I had eaten all of it, and you can imagine the slight disappointment on her face. When it comes to food, Milla seems to be like Happy from Fairy Tail whenever he hears something about fish. Seriously, her expression just goes blank and drools.

"Alvin, carry meee…"

"I already did you a favor of borrowing my jacket."

"But my feet huuuurt…"

"Well, so do mine."

The sky was starting to darken as my feet throbbed. A whole day of walking… Turns out what Alvin said was just something about most fields and distances between towns. Some will actually be a little shorter. Bad part about that was this distance was nine hours until I could finally see the outline of Hamil.

"Oh, Hallelujah…" I muttered with relief. Alvin and Jude both agreed from behind me. Milla just looked her usual self – slight amusement. She must be enjoying the pain since she's never felt it before. Back to the village, though, I felt like I should just charge right in and collapse for the day. So I began to run, but a painful shock went up my back, causing me to yelp in pain and bend over.

"Maren?!" Jude was immediately at my side. "What's wrong? Did you step on something?"

"My… Back…" I replied, trying to get it straight, and winced.

Milla put her hand over her chin in thought, "Hm, I think I remember telling you that you might have reopened a wound. Did you not tell Jude about it?"

"It, uh… Slipped my mind..?" A nervous smile spread on my face, and Jude was already feeling around my back. I winced when he put a little pressure on the right, lower side of my spine.

"The major one must have not healed all the way… Hold still." And that relaxing feeling went through me. Major one? Possibly from the accident on the boat. Ugh, am I going to have to deal with it for a couple weeks? Is it going to turn into a bruise? "There, it should be good unless you do any sudden movements."

"Aye, aye." I stood straight, saluting to the medical student. *Add nervous laugh from Jude here*

"Anyway," I heard Milla say from behind, and we each turned towards her. "I see no reason to be stopping here. Let us move forward." We nodded, and continued our way to Hamil – the peaceful town that's full of quite a few jerks.

Walking around the hill, we finally made it to the entrance. It was a little bigger than in the game since there are more cabins. There's actually a few paths that lead down to the orchard- Whoa…

"Dude, look at that!" I exclaimed, pointing down at the trees in the orchard.

"Wow, that's an impressive amount of fruit." Jude looked over, his eyes slightly widening with amazement.

Alvin sniffed the air. "I'm catching a whiff of cider. They must have orchards here."

"Well, no duh. They're down there!" I looked at him with a bored expression. "Blind o'some'in?"

"I'm not as much as blind as lazy to saying my t's right."

"You take that back! It happens to be a natural accent from where- uh, in my family!"

"Come on, just the way you say mountain sounds funny."

I scoffed, folding my arms. Don't you dis the Utah accent. How dare you. I shall curse you 'till the end of your days, Alvin.

"Well, well, well. We don't get many visitors, here." Our attention was taken away from each other, and drawn to an elder woman. Her hair was white, put up in a high ponytail with a few braids and an orange strand. The clothes she wore were a mixture of many shades of purple with white trim around every edge. It must get chilly here.

"Do you live here, ma'am?" Jude asked, his left hand going to hold loosely onto his right arm.

The woman smiled, her lazy eyes looking towards him. "I should hope so. I'm the mayor."

And here's where I zone out.

I chose to go sit on top of one of the wooden fences to let my feet rest as I thought. This town will be when we first see Elize and Teepo. Too bad we don't get them on our team, yet. I would love that, especially if Elize uses really good healing artes. Doesn't she learn resurrection early in the game, as well? . . . Actually, that'll depend with her Lillium orb. Oh, right! My Lillium orb!

I pulled out the item from my pocket and swiped my hand in front of it. The illusion appeared as I looked at each bubble. Let's see… Fireball is taken, and Demon Fang must have filled in that other time. Uh… Speed, strength, defense… Suddenly, an information screen appeared before me. I was shocked because what it said at the top was 'Special Skill.' Oh, right! Everyone has a special skill. Milla's is Spirit Shifting, Jude's is Snap Pivot… What could mine be?

So I began reading.

Apparently, I can summon a barrier-like force around me that can prevent ailments. Huh, that's, uh… Great? I'd prefer it that I can prevent physical damage, but… Ailments work, too. I don't want to be poisoned during battle. Just wish it was a little more awesome like Alvin's. He can freakin' charge his artes! He's like… An adult Karol. Seriously, that kid is actually really invisible once you get the hang of him.

"Maren, did you get that?"

"Huh..?" The Lillium Orb's illusion went away, and I looked up at Jude. The mayor was gone, and Milla and Alvin were walking around aimlessly. "Uh… Get what?" I asked, hopping down from the fence.

Jude pointed at the two leveled house across from us. "We'll be staying in an extra room there. We'll be able to have dinner, breakfast, and bathing hours at the bathhouse just a mile up from here."

Whoa, wait. "There's a bathhouse?!" I exclaimed, attention sharp, and posture improving.

"Yeah, I thought Tim would have told you about Hamil, since he knows so much about other towns."

"Eh-" Great… He's still got that held up against me. "He doesn't know about all the towns…" I do. Just apparently not that. I guess it just fits this small village, anyway.

"… I see." He shook his head after tapping it a couple times. "Anyway, we'll be looking around. Want to come with?"

"Oh, um… Is it alright if I go over where most of the farm animals are? Cows are interesting." I actually just want to see the hut Elize is staying in, but I can't just say 'no, I'll go wander somewhere else' without a reason. That'll make Milla more suspicious, and Alvin actually might put a few things together.

I looked at Jude's expression, noticing of how he was scanning me, again. After a short while, he forced on a smile and nodded. Then we split, Jude going to join Milla and Alvin at a certain tree, and me going along the trail that hopefully led to Elize. Viewing the area, there was indeed a single cabin with a run-down water area next to it. I carefully walked over, taking in the sight, and making note of the tree area far to the right.

It was actually really peaceful over here. The cows were on the mini hill mooing, rappigs were actually seen a few feet behind them, and just the sound of the birds in the area made me feel like I could sleep here. After a few minutes of standing, I turned towards the cabin, slowly approaching it. I walked up the stairs, hovering my hand up to the door. Maybe I should knock, just to see if there's anyone there. Except, Elize would be down in the basement. Man, I really wanna see what Teepo looks like in real life. Sooo badlllyyyy.

I let out a small sigh, but froze when a strong voice came from the other side of the door.

"Who's there?" Loud footsteps came closer and closer, and I tried to back away. My foot slipped, however, and I tumbled down the steps, landing on my back. The door opened, and there stood the largest man I have ever seen. "Hm? A young girl? What business do you have here? All villagers are not allowed to enter this cabin." Jiao…

"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to cause any trouble..!" I stuttered back, feeling intimidated by his large scale. I mean, seriously, I'm only five feet! Look at him! I feel like an ant!

His features seemed to calm a little when a purple doll was seen just a little from behind the door frame.

"Elize, go back down to your room. I'm going on a small errand outside of town." And he closed the door behind him. "Again, no villagers are allowed to enter this cabin." I nodded a little in agreement before he nodded a little back with satisfaction, walking out of the town. Slowly getting up, I made sure to see if my wound had reopened, yet again. It didn't, thank goodness, but I swear I got chills down my spine. Looking up, there was actually a small window on the wall of the cabin. You know what was in that window? My best guess is Elize, but it was more of a white blur before fading.

Oh geez, time to get away from this creepy area.

Back in the main part of town, Milla, Alvin, and Jude were just barely walking back up the small hill. I'm guessing they just had the talk about the purple item thingies. I walked over to them, Jude being the first to acknowledge my presence.

"How were the cows?" He asked, a small grin on his face. I had to play along, of course, slouching and letting my arms hang down.

"They were having their personal time…"

"Oh? Did you stand there and watch or did you quickly run?" Alvin looked over, probably picking up how whacked out my mind is and getting comfortable with that kind of talk.

"I ran, running into the muffin man and quickly running all the way back here to you guys."

"Muffin man? Does he truly exist? I've only read about him in a kid's song book." Milla folded her arms, looking quite thoughtful, and the three of us just gave her smug looks.

Then, we headed up to look around the town, seeing the many different cabins, Alvin buying some food supplies for our next trip tomorrow, and me playing around with his jacket. I actually used it as a weapon when he tried to bring up the Utah accent again.

"Maren's Attack With Alvin's Coat Sleeve Attack!" I shouted, whacking him around with the brown sleeves of the jacket. He put up an arm to block, and I tried going at him in different directions. Except, when I started doing that he pulled Jude in front for cover, and I had to immediately stop.

"A-Alvin, I'm not a shield!" He exclaimed, looking up at the brunette from behind. Yep, totally what the fandoms want.

"Come on, you were the closest to me. Besides you weren't really doing much, just staring out at the orchard." The mercenary chuckled when Jude pulled away. Of course, he went back to his position against the wooden fence, and I went up to stand next to him.

"I was just thinking how it's such a big area, and that maybe I could create an echo."

Ohmigosh, I loved this skit! Always had an idea for what Jude could say to trip Alvin off.

"Well, then why don't you try it?"

"Really? Okay, here it goes!" Jude had on the most real smile I've seen since early yesterday. He took in a deep breath and shouted with all his might. "ECHO!" We sat there for a few seconds before Alvin turned to his side.

Quietly, he repeated… "Echo, echo, echo…"

"Alvin…" Jude huffed, looking over at the brunette with a slight flustered expression.

"Alvin, Alvin, Alvin…"

And my idea decided to come into place. I tapped Jude's shoulder, motioning for him to lend me his ear, and whispered. Jude nodded a little, straightening his back, and cupping his hands around his mouth.

He took a deep breath.

"3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751-!"

Alvin looked at the two of us with wide eyes, and Jude cleared his throat. "So, the echo?" He asked, looking over at the dumbfounded mercenary.

It was Alvin's turn to clear his throat, looking away with his hands behind his head. "Uh… I don't think the mountains caught that."

"Oh, then I can say it, again."

"I think it's too much for the mountain's brain."

"Uh, huh. Sure." I grinned, folding my arms. I can't believe that actually worked. Jude had the first fifty numbers of pi memorized? Bring him to Earth to break the world record! He really is an honors student. Or, well… it's also replica data in Abyss, so we could bring him over there to impress Jade.

Jude and I laughed when Alvin gave us a rather annoyed expression. Except the laughing ended when a horrible stench reached our noses. It stung so much, my eyes watered. We looked over to the source, and Milla was standing there, arms folded. When she saw our expressions, she tilted her head.

"Is something the matter?" She questioned. The spirit was covered in mud with clumps of I don't know what all over her.

"Gross! Milla, you need a bath!" I exclaimed, pinching my nose which made me sound a little funny.

She thought for a few seconds, then looked over at Jude expectantly. "When the four were here, I never had to bathe-"

"I-I can't help you there!" Jude stuttered out rather loudly, holding up his hands as defense. Milla was rather shocked at how he acted, which just increased her obliviousness even more.

I sighed, looking at Jude. "Where did you say the bath house was..?" I asked, and Alvin let out an amused scoff.

"Is the youngest of our group going to show the great Lord Maxwell how to bathe?" I nodded in response, though it held a bit of uncertainty. I was the only girl in the group besides Milla, so of course I was the best to go without too much awkwardness going on. But… Not only will I see her naked, but she'll be bombing the questions she was about to ask earlier! Ugh, I have no choice…

"It's straight up the hill. I think the mayor said the stuff you'll need are already up there, and that it's the private house for guests. So, I doubt there will be anyone else with you." Even he started to pinch his nose to block out the nasty smell. "But before that… Milla, how did you end up like this?"

"Like this? I simply tried to catch a rappig that went loose." So the stench was nasty pig smell… Great…

* * *

After reaching the bath house and looking around to see how it'll look, it seemed to be similar to the way of how the Japanese bathe. The hot water was in a tub, and there were buckets of the liquid by some small sitting stools. Right… In Japan, tradition is to wash yourself before getting in the water.

So, I showed Milla the area, tried to explain as much as I knew, and found the bottles of hair cleaner. Uh, crap. How do I know which one's which? I can't read this!

"Uh, so… Milla!" I said, looking over at the spirit who was enjoying the area around her. Her magenta eyes looked at me with interest. "Um, tell me what these are. I shall quiz you." Yeah, that's a good excuse.

"Hm… This one says Shampoo, and this one says Conditioner. I believe they're for the hair on the human, though I never found which one was for which." Good, now I know what they are.

I cleared my throat, placing the two bottles near a bucket of water. "Well, Shampoo is for cleaning out the hair, taking out all of the nasty oil in it. The conditioner, you only use if you're able to make a ponytail with your hair. It goes on the ends as clean oil since they're not close to the scalp for natural clean oil. This way, your ends stay healthy. And you have to put it on after the shampoo or else it's just wasted." It's nice that my mom's a hair designer. Otherwise, I would have no idea why we use conditioner… Then again, I may have put in a few false things in that explanation.

"Interesting. I believe I remember Undine saying something like that." Milla smiled, putting her hands on her hips. "Well, I believe we take off our clothes in order to wash off, correct?"

"Y-Yeah…" Well, time to be jealous of her body type, now.

Thank goodness she didn't ask any questions while washing. It was awkward enough having to show her how to wash her hair and body. She even got so excited, she offered to wash my own, and I immediately shot it down. Yes, human ways are exciting, but you really should learn what's appropriate and what's not, first.

However, my relief began to slowly evaporate because Milla's alacrity turned to seem like she was contemplating something. Could she already be thinking about questions? Or putting something together?

"Maren."

I flinched, cautiously looking over at the blonde. "Y-Yes..?"

"Do you know anything about Exodus?"

My body froze, posture improving all of a sudden. That was what I was fearing.

* * *

**Yyyyyaaaaaaay, cliff hanger! Yeah, Milla's going to be on Maren's tail for a while. Anybody filled with joy that I related Milla to Happy? I mean, she's not snappy like him, but they react to food in similar ways. Plus, the pi thing wasn't actually mine. I found it in a really funny Xillia comic, and it was just so good that I had to include it. Don't yell at meh, please...**

**Anyway, I hope it's not as bad as I thought, and that you'll be prepared for the next chapter. I love Hamil for it's music, but I hate the jerks. Hopefully I'll be done with this town soon.**

**Please review to tell me what needs fixing and what doesn't! Me wanna know you guests how you like it!**


	10. 10 We're Off to Fight a Demon Crab!

**Hey, back with another chapter! This one is around 7,000 words, YES!**

**Anyway, I'm rushing a bit to get this uploaded, so there's not much to say.**

**Disclaimer: I have not ownership of this Tales of Xillia you speak of.**

* * *

This is what I was fearing…

My body refused to move, my train of thought crashed, a terrible knot formed in my throat… No way. There's no way this could be happening already! Exodus isn't mentioned until the second chapter, until Leia's in the party!

"The fact that you're frozen stiff makes me more suspicious. You do know of Exodus." Milla folded her arms, and I could feel her stern gaze on my bare back. "Are you a mem-"

"I'm from a different world called earth with no mana whatsoever, and I know the future!" I blurted out, interrupting the blonde, and standing so fast that I knocked over the stool I was sitting on. Oh, no, I panicked! It just slipped out! Now it's quiet, and my heart's freakin' beating in my ears…

After a few minutes of silence, my tense body seemed to relax a little. I built up the courage to turn and look Milla in those cold, magenta eyes. She was just staring, arms still folded. Her expression was serious, but I could tell those thoughts were swarming in her mind.

With a stern voice, she said, "Is this some kind of story to you?" …Eh? Milla seemed to be giving me a slight death glare. My thoughts slowly came back, and fear turned into… Confusion. "It's impossible to live without mana, and as the Great Spirit Maxwell, I know there's no such thing as a world called Earth. Even more so, it's unattainable for a human to be able to know the future." My shoulders relaxed a little, but then the fear struck in, again. That means she won't trust me no matter what I say. That was the truth, and yet she didn't believe it one bit!

Ugh, no! This is supposed to be where Milla's thoughts of me being part of Exodus dissolve, and realizes that I'm completely innocent! I guess she's just too… Maxwell.

"Now, be serious." She began, and my legs seemed to feel weak. "Are you a member of Exodus? Or are you a victim? If you are a member, I'm sure you're planning to assassinate me."

I shook my head, hesitating on what to say. What _should_ I say? I mean, I mentioned my brother who was killed by a monst- *mental gasp* that's what I can say! I mean, lying further in wouldn't hurt… Right? It's not like she'll believe me with the truth, anyway.

Taking a deep breath, I picked up the stool to make it upright. "I… My brother and I use to be a part of Exodus. Use to." I had to repeat, because I swear she was going to jump up and grab her sword. "We quit because not only did Tim not want me to get hurt, but because we just couldn't build the courage to kill tons of spirits. And… Couldn't kill you, Maxwell." There is some honesty. I don't want to kill spirits, and I'm also sure that I don't want to kill Milla or even the real Maxwell. Seriously, I am not a girl to go killing people. "The brother being eaten by a monster thing was made up… We were actually being chased by a couple members. Tim stayed behind to fend them off while I continued to run. I guess they killed him…"

"And is that where you met Alvin?"

"Well, honestly, it's a big blur." I lied. "One second I was running, and the next I woke up by him."

"…I see." She muttered, putting her hand to her chin in thought. "So Exodus is responsible for your brother's death. Another reason why I must get the Four, finish my mission, and go back to eliminating them." Her magenta eyes softened as she went to go soak in the bathtub. "Maren, thank you. However, I will be keeping a sharp eye on you in case the traitor part is also a lie."

"Believe me," I began, and followed her to the tub. "I won't try to kill you. Promise."

* * *

An hour later, Milla and I finally returned to the mayor's house. Jude was talking to the old woman while Alvin seemed to be cooking. Hm… I wonder what his cooking tastes like. Jude is probably better, but I'm sure it's not bad.

The medical student looked over at us with a smile. "Milla, Maren! It's about time you two finish. I guess Alvin and I will go up there after dinner. Is that okay?"

I coughed 'Juvin' into my arm, and only Alvin seemed to look back at me with a curious look. Heh, they'll get it when I build up enough courage and confidence in myself to tell them the truth. Oh gosh, maybe I should go eavesdrop on them while they're in the bathhouse. Not spy. There's a difference. Me no ready to see naked men.

The mayor invited the spirit and I to sit down. Milla had to refuse until she caught a whiff of the food Alvin was making. Of course, I also got a whiff and kind of, uh…

"MY GOSH, SPAGHETTI!"

…Weirded everyone out. Jude did his usual nervous laugh, Milla drooled at the sound of the food, and Alvin chuckled, pouring out the water from the noodles. I began to do my happy dance in my seat – Constantly jumping up and down, side to side slightly in my chair while nodding my head. I love me some spaghetti!

The fellow mercenary served the food, and the three characters would start up conversations with the mayor. I just sat back, pretending to be too interested in my food. I kind of didn't want to talk to the mayor of Hamil knowing what's going to happen the second and third time we visit this town. I also didn't want to join in the conversation in fear that I might let something slip. I just got Milla off my back, but Jude's still on it, and Alvin might be as well. Not sure about him since he hasn't shown any hint. Then again, even Milla didn't show any hint until she brought it up on her own.

Ugh, my paranoid self… Thinking of every possible outcome even when it's not possible. It's a good thing that around this time in the game, Milla doesn't know the Exodus members don't have mana lobes. Otherwise, she would have asked me how I can do spells. I mean, she already knows Exodus is a group of people who slipped through the schism from Elympios…

Man, so many reasons to keep myself secret! Though, from Brittany, Samantha's, and many other fanfic experiences I've read, it'll come out eventually… Maybe I should make a deadline for when I should finally bring it out. I definitely don't want to do it before Leia comes in and leave her in the dust. Maybe I should tell them at Xian Du? No, that's too early. After Elympios is discovered? No, too late. Uh…

"And what about you, young lady?" A raspy voice pulled me from my thoughts, and my brown eyes glanced over to the mayor. Her lazy smile seemed to calm me down a little, but not all the way. I knew her true nature towards us for later in the game.

Eventually, I brought myself to speak. "Uh… What about me?" I asked, looking around the table.

"She's wondering why we're travelling with each other." Jude pointed out, looking down at my plate and knowing I'd get a third helping of dinner.

"Oh, well, I…" I paused, thinking of what to say. Jude probably didn't and doesn't want to mention that we're wanted criminals. "They're my family. Milla's mom, Jude is my brother, and Alvin is dad." A smile crossed my lips as I looked at everyone's expressions. Milla looked like she was about to burst out of her seat, claiming she was the Great Spirit Maxwell. Alvin and Jude? Oh, their expressions were priceless!

"So you're all related? My, how wonderful. You definitely get your looks from your dad." The old woman clasped her hands in front of her, and I think that just made this situation even more funny. Alvin was speechless, I could hear Jude mumbling about Milla and the brunette even being together, and Milla just… Oh yeah, she's going to be jumping out of her seat in any minute. Stealing my friend, Alicia's, joke about everyone in Xillia being a family member is my greatest idea, yet.

It was quiet at the table for an awkward amount of time, and I chose that moment to get up and serve myself a third plate of spaghetti. Milla joined, seeming to actually forget the whole family thing. Kinda upset about that, because I was ready to see her stand from her seat about to lecture, and see Jude grab her by the arm, trying to calm her down.

I would have payed to see that.

Even so, the time came when Jude and Alvin went to do their part of hygiene while Milla and I prepared the one room for bedtime. I forgot that there's only one bed out of the entire room. There's a couch next to the wall, and a table with a chair by the window. I have no idea how we're going to do this.

I took off Alvin's jacket, hanging it on a coat rack on the wall, and sat in the chair to take off my shoes.

"Maren."

"Hm?"

"I am the Great Spirit Maxwell with a mission to protect humans and spirits alike. I have no need for family, so do not think of me in that way."

And there it was.

* * *

The sun had completely set, and Milla was meditating in the corner of the room. I had grabbed a book and began to pretend to read. Hey, really, I can't read this writing. It's either based on Korean or Japanese. I can't exactly tell. Korea is the one with the circle obsession, right? Maybe it's Korean…

"You two seemed to have made yourselves comfortable." Jude walked in with Alvin tailing behind. His blue over coat was off with only his white layer on. To be honest, I like him a little more this way-

"Maren, why'd you slap yourself?" Alvin sat in the wooden chair, taking off his boots.

"No reason…" I mumbled, closing the book and standing. "Anyway, uh… I've been wondering a very important situation."

"And that would be?" Milla chose to open her eyes and look over at me. "Oh, welcome back Jude, Alvin." The three of them all had their attention on me, and all it took was me to just point at the one bed in the whole room.

"Oh, heh… That." The medical student scratched his cheek, looking at the options in the room. "Well, no doubt someone's going to have to share the bed, sleep on the couch, and the floor.

"Jude should have the bed." I smiled.

Alvin just scoffed, leaning back in the chair with his arms folded. "So you can have a chance to sleep with him?"

"Ohmigosh, shuddap!" I shouted, face turning beet-red. Jude just looked at the two of us, not even bothering to ask what that meant.

But then he shook his head, looking over at Milla. "I'd feel weird if the guys took the bed. Maybe Maren and Milla should share it. Alvin can have the couch while I sleep on the floor with some camping supplies."

"Whoa, kid. Now I'd be the one feeling weird if an adult made the younger one sleep on the ground. Let's switch." Alvin looked at us, wanting to know how well we agreed. Milla and I nodded after some thought, and Jude nodded a bit hesitantly. So it was decided that Milla and I would share the bed, Jude had the couch, and Alvin settled on the floor. To be honest, if I wasn't here, no one would have had to sleep on the hard ground…

* * *

_Fog surrounded me. My eyes glanced around the area, landing on a shining white blur behind me._

"_**It's about time you fall asleep."**__ It said, and I had taken a step back. It's the white blur from before! It sounds so familiar, it's making me angry that I can't point out who or what it is. __**"You lied, again. Does your world's humans do this daily?"**_

"_What are you talking about? Who are you?" I asked, but regretted it when the blur came closer. It was so bright that it hurt my eyes, and I couldn't focus on anything. It felt like I was slowly losing sight._

"_**If you had managed to let the pawn of Maxwell know the full truth, I would have no problem with showing myself to you."**_

"_Wh-What..? Are you saying all of the blurs will be clear if I tell Milla the complete truth?" _

"_**No, it cannot just be this… Milla. It must be all the comrades you will meet. I'm sure you know all of them. Even then, it will be only I that will show."**_

"_But what if they think I'm part of Exodus? Or don't believe me? Or think I'm crazy? They'd never talk to me again, and I might never find my way home!"_

"_**Humans tend to complicate everything… You will tell your story at a time when truth is most needed."**_

"_But-" I tried to grab the blur, but it disappeared into the black hole that seemed to surround me. I don't know how to explain it, but I believe I saw a faceless smile in that blur before my dreams started to take over.  
_

* * *

The next morning, a gloved hand was violently shaking at my shoulder. I let out a small grunt, pulling the blanket over my head.

"Maren, this isn't the time to sleep." I lazily looked over to see Alvin picking up our supplies. He seemed to be rushing. "The Rashugal soldiers have entered town. Come on, Jude and Milla are waiting at the west exit of Hamil."

I sprung out of bed, quickly getting on my shoes. I regret these actions, but they were needed if I didn't want to risk getting arrested. We ran out of the house, and tried to get to the west side of town without being noticed. Milla and Jude looked over at us, telling us to be quiet before looking around the stoned wall. The two soldiers dressed in red and black uniforms were standing there, attention sharp. How are we going to get passed them? I'm so tired, and my legs ache from getting out of bed so quickly.

Wait.

"E-Excuse me…" A small voice called from behind us, and we each turned. There stood a little, pale blonde girl holding a purple doll. I stared a little at her because one, it was early in the morning so I'm not fully awake, and two, Teepo looks… Cushiony. "Um… What are you doing..?" Oh man, it's so cool to hear Elize's voice in real life, see her impossible to home-make clothes, and-

"We're trying to find a way to get past these soldiers." Milla stepped forward with a rather blunt tone of voice. I heard Jude mutter his line under his breath, seeming to sweat-drop at the spirit's action.

"So, those soldiers… They're in your way?" Oh, sweet! I wanna see Teepo move!

Elize simply looked down at the doll as it was like its eyes just popped open. Jude, Alvin, and I all jumped back. Their reason was because the doll moved. Mine was because, honestly, Teepo's a little creepy looking at first.

The purple doll made its way to the soldiers, seeming to dance around them, knocking their heads.

"What in the world..?" Alvin muttered.

"So… Cool…" I said loud enough for everyone to hear me.

The medical student looked over at Elize with a surprised expression. "How did you do that?" He asked. But right when Elize was about to open her mouth, a familiar voice was heard.

"What's going on over here?" Oh, no. The giant… "Child, you know you're never to leave the shed." Footsteps that seemed liked stops got closer to us, and there stood Jiao. I hid behind Jude, but he sneezed, and I backed up, looking at Alvin. He noticed this, shaking his head with a small grin. Jiao looked over at the exit, grabbing his giant hammer. "Rashugal troops? Curse you! How dare you come here?" The ground shook as he ran towards the guards. Teepo flew back over, following Elize down the road to the main part of Hamil. I almost wanted to keep her from going down there…

The mini earthquakes came back as Jiao ran over. "Where did she go?" He asked, looking down at us.

"Toward the square-"

"-and tell her we said thank you." I interrupted Jude.

"What? I'm sure she would like to hear that, but… No, she mustn't go there! You must be outsiders. You should hurry and leave this village. They don't do well with the likes of you." And the giant was gone.

We stood there for a good, solid minute until Alvin crossed his arms. "I have no idea what just happened, but I ain't complaining. Things just got easier for us. Let's go." No one disagreed, and we began our way quickly out of Hamil. I'm not looking forward to going back through there…

After a few minutes of running, we decided we were far enough, and that Jiao would handle the troops. It would be a while until they started on our trail, again. It actually took a couple miles until the dirt slowly turned into sand, the hills on the sides to turn to solid rock, and the fruit trees to turn to palms. Turning a corner, I stood in amazement at the sight. The blade-like rocks, the slightly pink sand, the reflection in the water… It's so… Beautiful! Sad thing about this is the sand. I'll be forced to do my strategy to keep it out of my shoes – the penguin walk.

We stopped at the entrance, taking in the sight. Alvin made his way to the front and turned to face us, spreading his arms out to his sides.

"Welcome to the Kijara Seafalls! Once we cross, we'll reach Nia Khera, the town of spirits." He said with a lot of enthusiasm. I smiled a little, folding my arms.

"It's beautiful…" Too bad we'll be fighting a demon crab, later. I should probably work on some sword skills.

"Indeed." Milla said, looking up at the rocks next to us. "But we must continue. The Rashugal soldiers may not be following now, but I'm sure they'll find a way to get back on our trail."

"…I hope we didn't make any trouble for those villagers." Jude looked down, holding his wrist as he leaned on one leg. "They were so kind to us, too…"

"What else could we do but run?" Alvin asked, looking at Jude with a soft expression.

"I feel sorry about them, too, but I seriously don't want to be arrested." I pointed out, looking at my feet.

Milla unfolded her arms, looking over at Jude, as well. "The villagers picked the fight, not us."

"How can you just say that?" He blurted. "Maybe they were trying to protect us."

"If you're worried about them, then maybe you should go back." The spirit turned, starting to go away from us. "It was a pleasure to know you, Jude. Thank you for all your help." Aw, don't leave Jude behind. He's supposed to be your boyfriend.

"How can you be so cold..?" Jude asked, looking at her with a surprised expression. I was slightly the same, but I knew she would be acting like this, here. It made me feel guilty know that we were the ones who technically brought the troops to that innocent town.

Milla stopped, turning back towards us. "You'd rather I get emotional? I'm afraid I don't have that luxury. What is it you humans say? I have no time for waxing sentimental."

"Never heard that…" I mumbled, looking away.

Jude was silent, thinking things over. "…Because of your mission."

"Precisely." Milla replied, nodding.

"So you think our emotions would prevent you from doing what you had to do?"

"Can a person still fulfill their duty if they become emotional?" It depends on the duty. I mean, a war where maybe a brother has to kill a brother would probably be a good example. Or the people assigned to behead a villager back in the medieval times.

"Only way to find out is to try and see." Jude straightened his back, but his gaze was only on the water.

The spirit smiled, putting her hand on her hip. "Well then, you should take your own advice." I always loved that part. Jude's always saying wise stuff, and yet he doesn't usually do it, himself. I think Milla is the reason why he decides to be an adult, not his dad. "Just be yourself, and do what you have to do. Maybe then you'll have your answer."

After a few more comments from Jude and Alvin, Alvin wrapping his arm over Jude's shoulder, and a couple more lines, we began to make our way through the Kijara Seafalls. I was correct, I had to do my strategy to keep the sand from getting in my shoes. Those guys are lucky they have boots… I want boots… Boots would be cool… Boots from Dora is a monkey-

"Maren, you know, if you're having trouble, you can go barefoot through here." Alvin looked back at me struggling to tag along.

"But what if I step on something sharp? Or a monster eats my foot from coming out of the sand?"

"You really have a wide imagination, don't you?" Jude looked back, this time.

"Indeed she does." Milla spoke, but still looked ahead. "She told me back at the bath house how she was from a world called Earth that had no mana whatsoever, and knew what was going to happen in the future."

The mercenary whistled, placing his hands behind his head. "Yeah, that's… Pretty far-fetched." Oh no, Milla! Now Alvin's going to be joining Jude with riding on my back!

"That sounds almost crazy enough to be true." The teen laughed, and we all stopped at the bottom of a rock edge. One at a time, we each climbed. Me first since I was the smallest, then Jude, Milla, and Alvin was last. We did it by height… yay… I'm small.

Well, at least she won't mention my made up story until the time comes when everyone needs to know of Exodus. Or, well… I hope she won't mention it until then.

We encountered only a few monsters, but by the fourth, I decided it was useless to keep the sand out of my shoes. I took them off, tying the laces around my belt, and tucking the socks into them. It sucked how Alvin wouldn't let me have his jacket, again. I can't go near Jude until I either get it somehow, or get dressed in new clothes. Maybe in Nia Khera I'll be able to get new ones. I definitely won't get any from Hamil.

A monster approached us, and Alvin immediately linked up with me as Jude and Milla linked with each other. I pulled out my sword and began casting, remembering how these monsters were specifically weak to fire. Alvin charged along with Jude and Milla, doing their thing. I get more and more surprised each time we have a battle that it's usually only two to three monsters. I guess we just don't pose as a threat much here. It is a peaceful area, after all. Maybe these monsters are just naturally mellow. I shot my fire ball, then charged in with a bit of fear. I'm still not use to being close to these things. They're pretty scary, and I can totally see one eating my brains.

Ew, gross picture.

It took a while until we reached one of the high elevation points. I was tempted, too tempted, perhaps. I rushed to the edge over the water, spread my arms and shouted,

"I'm on top of the world!"

"Are you now?" Alvin grinned, climbing the curving blade rock next to me. "Then what does that make me?"

"A man with his head in the clouds." Jude chuckled, covering his mouth slightly as he did.

"Ouch, that burns, kid."

Milla looked at Alvin, then me with confusion clear on her face. "I do not see how either of them are 'on top' of this world. If I had Sylph with me, I could easily fly to the highest elevation in Reize Maxia."

"You know, talking about cookies gets me hungry for lunch." I patted my stomach, turning back towards the main characters.

The medical student scratched his cheek. "I… Don't think we mention anything related to food at all."

"Oh, come on! You're hungry anyway, right?" I countered, putting my hands on my hips.

"Though human food is very delicious, we must continue forward. It would be best for all of our interests if we get there before the sun sets." Milla turned, continuing her way off the elevation, and back on the sand. The three of us sighed, looking at each other with exhaustion before following the blonde.

Of course, I slightly stopped in my tracks, seeing the familiar circle of waterfalls up around the giant, rocky corner. When Jude looked back, tilting his head, I shook my head and smiled, continuing the walk. In the corner of my eye, I saw something blue on the top of the cliff. Jude and Milla began talking about Nia Khera, while my attention was on what was up there. Alvin seemed to notice, as well.

He stretched, faking a yawn, and leaning an arm on the medical student's shoulder. "Let's take five. All those rocks were murder on my feet."

"No kidding…" I mumbled, looking down at my poor, bare ones.

Milla looked at us with a disagreeing expression. "We can rest once we reach Nia Khera." She said sternly, but Alvin didn't give up.

"Oh, come on! What's the rush? Nia Khera isn't going anywhere. Right? Rest a while."

"Oh, uh, okay." Jude smiled, looking at Milla. "Heh, I won't argue with that."

"Sitting!" I shouted with glee and plopped down on the rocks, no hesitation. Milla shook her head, turning, and walking to the waterfall area. Ugh, I don't want to go over there. Milla, just sit, wait a little longer. My feet huuuuurrrrrt…

I leaned back on my hands, looking up at the sky. I could hear Jude and Alvin talking, but it wasn't clear. My vision blurred, and I closed my eyes. My breath began to calm as my feet felt like they were being relieved. It was nice to sit down. I have no idea how long we've been walking in this place. Though, the sky is beginning to turn a little pink. We definitely skipped lunch and breakfast combined… It feels like I'm fasting or something.

I breathed in a deep breath, slowly letting it out. Then, I wasn't happy.

"What's going on over there?!" Jude looked where Milla had gone, and Alvin quickly got up on his feet. "Milla might be in trouble! Let's go!" I groaned slightly, standing slowly, and catching up to the two boys. We ran across the rocks, making it to the giant waterfall area. The water was loud, and the rocks were a little slippery. I didn't like it at all. In the middle of the area was Milla, being bound by a weird kind of red magic. Presa was right next to her, and I swear I could not look away.

A few lines went through one ear, but out the other. I just could not take my attention away from Presa's outfit. It's just… Really showy, and… Blue.

Jude spoke softly to Alvin, and what broke my attention away from the cat woman was Alvin's gun. He shot a boulder on the wall a few times, and it flinched. It definitely caught his girlfriend's attention. She gasped with disbelief before the rock instantly grew tentacles, and whacked her off the bladed rock. Milla fell to the ground, but caught herself, quickly picking up a disk and shoving it into her nature pocket.

"What's that saying?" She ran over, unsheathing her sword. "Out of the frying pan?"

"Never heard that…"

"And into the firefight. Come on, let's clean up this mess!" Alvin pulled out his sword, reloading his gun.

I mumbled my previous line again, before pulling out my sword and casting. Jude equipped his gauntlets, linking with Alvin before charging towards the monster that had landed where Presa use to be. As I was casting, I suddenly felt confident, and looked over at Milla.

_Let us do a linked arte._

I nodded as she began casting, herself. Suddenly, instructions started to fill into my mind, and visions of how to do it portrayed. We each shot a fireball, but then turned back to back and casted again.

"Dance like dragons, and damage the foe!" We said in harmony. "Twisting flame!" Two fireballs shot out, but circled around each other, mushing together as if to create a cannon of fire on the enemy. The monster roared in pain.

"Try fire!" Milla shouted, running up to the enemy. I could tell she was going to do flare bomb, and I charged alongside her, blocking a tentacle that tried to hit us. It stung, but that was it. I had a purple force in front of me, and it suddenly wrapped around the foe. I understood, side slashing my sword into the tentacle in front to cut it off. An ear-splitting roar echoed through the dome-like area.

Alvin ran in front, and Jude jumped on top of the beast. The medical student then jumped once more, doing a front flip in the air before coming down at an incredible speed, his heel digging deep into the bullet holes on the rock. The boulder cracked, Jude quickly jumped back down to us, and Alvin shot the throbbing muscle that was now vulnerable.

The monster stopped moving.

"Man, is it good that Milla can bind down the enemy." I smiled, but then looked at my clothes with disgust. "…Another reason to get new clothes." I muttered, trying to wipe off the nasty purple and red liquid.

Then, we turned towards Jude. "So you really saw that monster camouflaged as a boulder? Good eyes, kid." Alvin commented, and I nodded in agreement. I've seen the scene many times before, and I couldn't find it at all. Well… Kinda. I was mostly focused on Presa.

"And did you ever consider what would happen if that monster came after you instead of that woman?" Milla, stop shooting down people's balloons of proudlyness.

"It wouldn't have mattered either way. Alvin still would have gotten into that woman's blind spot." Jude replied, seeming pretty proud of himself, and I did a small round of applause.

I stared at Jude with a smile. He's not faking any emotion, right now. He's being himself, and giving himself credit. It's cute, and I admire him for his bravery. Even if it is just because of Milla for a while. Now if only I could be brave. I know I still hesitate in battle, even in the one we just did. I don't like to get hurt…

"Thank you Jude, Maren. You too, Alvin." Milla put her hand on her hip, looking at each of us with pleasure. Jude held his hands behind his back, swinging side to side a little with embarrassment.

But then his eyes perked, looking over at the water where Presa had fallen. "Hey, where'd that woman go?" He asked.

Alvin just shook his head, shrugging his shoulders. "Hold your horses, mister Honor Student. We're not gonna get anywhere if we spend all day worrying about the bad guys." He led us to the vines on the side, and I looked at it in fear. "Come on, let's get moving."

"No way am I climbing up that!" I shouted, hiding behind Milla. "A vine could snap and we fall to our death!"

"Oh, come on, Princess Daydreams. You always think of the bad outcomes." The brunette looked over, pulling on one of the stems. "They're as sturdy as rope. It takes a lot to break vines that grow like this." I still shook my head, hiding my face in the blonde's hair. He crossed his arms, sighing. "…Fine. I'll stay at the bottom to catch you if you fall."

"But what if-"

"I see no point in stopping here. Let us move forward." Milla interrupted me, grabbing a vine and beginning to climb up. Jude followed shortly after, and Alvin held a hand up as if saying 'ladies first.' I glared slightly, walking over and grabbing a vine. They really did feel sturdy enough.

I pulled myself up, but struggled. Two hands grabbed my waist, lifting me up enough to snag a foot in the plant for support. Nodding a little towards Alvin, I slowly made my way up. Jude and Milla were waiting at the top, and Alvin was waiting at the bottom. My heart was pounding, blood pumping. My hand's grip on the vine was so tight I was sure I was choking the life out of it. I forced my feet into spots of the vines that could support my weight as I pulled closer and closer to the top.

"Maren, not there!" I heard Jude shout as I grabbed a certain vine. It snapped, my body jolted down a little, but my right hand kept hold of another vine, keeping me up. My breath caught in my throat as I looked down at Alvin with wide eyes.

"Don't worry, that was just a dead one!" He shouted up. "Just keep going!"

My breath came out shaky, and I continued up. It felt like a really long time, but I finally made it. Jude helped me onto the rock as I caught my breath – putting a hand over my heart as if to calm it down. The sound of rustling came from the cliff; Alvin was now climbing. I slowly stood, looking to my right, and seeing a wonderful sight in the distance.

Nia Khera, the village of spirits, on a soft, green hill.

**()()()()()**

**And we've reached the end of the dreaded Kijara Seafalls!**

**So, I hope this one was good. To be honest, I haven't proof read it, yet.**

**See you in chapter 11! Or on my Facebook page!**


	11. 11 No One Wants to Feel Useless

**Hey! I'm back! The first few weeks of high school... Yeesh, it's busy!**

**Anyway, sorry this is a little short. I chose this chapter to say that since school is back, I will be updating slower. I will try to upload at least twice a month, but I'm not so sure if my homework would let that. HOWEVER, I am getting back to reading books, meaning I will most likely get into a "writing mood" more often.**

**This chapter is around 3,500 words. Short, I know.**

**DISCLAIMER: I HAVE NO OWNERSHIP of Tales of Xillia. My most humble apologies. **

* * *

"This might not kill you guys…" I muttered, trying to pick up the temporal stone of earth. "But it's going to kill me..!" A loud grunt came from my mouth as the rock lifted, only to fall back to the ground.

The villager next to me popped up from their sitting spot next to the temporal shrine. "Hey, be careful! I know this is what Lord Maxwell ordered, but please! Do not drop these!" He sounded pretty upset. Even the little kid had a slight pouting face.

"S-Sorry! I'm just not a strong person…" I replied, trying to pick the stone back up.

Alvin bent down, handing me the temporal stone of wind. "I honestly didn't think it would be that hard. Here, I'm guessing this is lighter." I took the stone in my hands, getting prepared for how heavy it was going to be. . . . I guess it was lighter, and since I had put a lot of strength into carrying it before actually feeling it, my arms flew up along with it. You could tell I thought it was going to be as heavy as the earth stone. Why else would I almost accidentally throw the wind one over my head? I hate it when this happens…

"Ma'am, please!" The villager beckoned again for me to be careful.

"I-I'm truly sorry! This time it was just lighter than I expected!" I exclaimed, keeping the stone close now that I no longer trust myself.

The mercenary picked up the earth stone with a grunt. "Man, you weren't kidding..! This really is heavy!"

"See?!"

You can guess by now that we reached Nia Khera after a very dreadful, horrifying trip through the Kijara Falls. The horrifying part was the vines. Yeah, turned out we had to climbs vines more than what the game portrayed. My soul left my body when I collapsed on the ground by Nia Khera's entrance. Alvin and I were sent to gather the wind and earth temporal stones after the whole scene of entering the town. Milla and Jude went to get the water and fire stones. It confuses me of how the wind stone is light and the earth is as heavy as a cow.

We crossed the entrance of town in order to reach Milla and Jude who were at the fire stone. As we did, I stared at the animals a few feet away. Rappigs… They're… Rappigs! Look how cool! Pigs with cute faces and bunny ears! I am so wanting my phone right now.

"Yeowch!" A sound of pain came from ahead of us. As curious as Alvin and I were, we made our way closer to the other two party members.

Jude was rubbing his hand, trying to cast recovery ring to heal it.

"Let me guess." Alvin started as we got closer. "The stone of fire is light but hot."

Jude nodded slightly, finishing the healing. Of course, he still rubbed it a little, but not as much as before. So does healing and recovery take longer than how the game portrays like what the fanfictions said? Cool.

Milla held up the stone of water, and the three of us nodded. It was obvious. The water stone was heavy but the perfect, cool temperature. It's as if these stones are just hollow containers filled with their element. The sun was setting, and like how Jude predicted when we separated, we would have to set up camp in the field. So, while Alvin went to go buy the needed items (since he's the only one that is acceptable to use money at the moment) Jude, Milla, and I all stayed by the fire stone, not daring to touch it. The villager who was by it politely went to go get a cart for us that was specifically for carrying these hurtful things. I was so relieved finding out that we didn't have to carry them in our arms all the way to the shrine. Because we all know there are at least two field sections between here and there.

"So, Maren." Jude started, and again I melted slightly to him saying my name. I looked at him patiently, tilting my head a little. "About Tim," My heart sunk. "Was he… A good brother?"

"Huh?" I blankly said, staring at the medical student. He wasn't going to say how he doesn't believe he existed? How he can prove it? How I ramble on and on about things that probably won't ever happen? Okay, scratch that last part. I continued speaking, "Well, yes. He is- er was- a good brother. There'd be these times where he'd wrap his arm around my shoulder and joke about me paying rent. Or there was this one time where he fell into a giant mud spot, and splashed it on the rest of us. Or even the time when he went to the other side of the world to teach for six months in a school. Or-"

I rambled on and on about the happy and funny things my brother did. "-he accidentally cut the top of the stool off with a real sword-" as I went on, I just… I don't know what came over me. My eyes burned, I lost feeling in my legs, and collapsed in tears.

I was crying… I was crying?

Why now of all times?

It hurts… My eyes burn, my heart aches, and my hands are trembling.

Milla stared with a slightly shocked face, and Jude was immediately at my side. "Hey, Maren, don't worry…" He repeated over and over as I clutched my legs close to my chest. What was this feeling? I've never felt it before… Longing? Longing for what..?

_Home…_

My brown eyes widened. _That's right… _My mind thought clearly. _I can't handle being away from home for a long period of time…_

How am I supposed to stay calm if I cry at a single thought of family?

I left home un-expectantly. On a day everyone had left the house to do their own stuff. The front door was open. They could think I was kidnapped! Or worse…

"Whoa, what happened here?" Alvin walked over, holding the giant bag of survivor items. I sniffed, preventing any snot from coming out. My left hand quickly wiped away the tears in my eyes, and I stood. Looking around at the three staring at me. It was a weird scene.

Jude was covering his nose, trying his hardest not to sneeze while Milla was just staring. I turned towards Alvin, and he had a slightly concerned expression. But it vanished the instant I made eye contact. I huffed a breath of slight amusement, then it turned into a giggle – and then a soft laugh.

"That sure came out of nowhere, didn't it?" I continued laughing, covering my open mouth with my tear-covered hand. "I gave you guys the spooks, huh? I'm sorry, I just didn't know what happened. Puberty and stuff." Then, I snorted, eyes growing wide, and quickly covered my nose and mouth completely.

The three around me started to softly laugh at the sudden noise I had made. My face flushed.

Then, Milla stood when the cart was in sight. She turned towards it, picking up the water stone. I picked up the wind one, Jude stayed by the fire, and Alvin carefully picked up the earth stone. After placing them on the cart along with the equipment, we began our way out of the village of spirits.

That was… A sure example of how quickly the mood can change in real life.

* * *

Walking along in the Nia Khera spiritway, we were all surprisingly quiet. Well, I had an excuse. I broke down all of a sudden in front of everyone. My mind's focused on home, and who knows what's on everyone else's minds. I could see Jude glancing back at me a couple times, probably to see if I was okay.

Milla was leading us, not bothering about Alvin's struggle with pushing the cart. The ground just wasn't as flat as it looked, so he was trying not to have the wind stone fall easily. I stayed next to it, watching for mud spots or anything the cart could get stuck in. Eventually, Jude seemed to slowly fall back from walking by Milla to Alvin's side. He had a face that was as if he was saying he needed to talk, and Alvin motioned for me to go up by Milla.

I was confused, but I followed his little motion, going to walk by the spirit. She still seemed to ignore the presence of us, keeping her gaze ahead, and back straight. She looks focused and confident. Someone who won't take no for an answer. I'm jealous, because if I'm ever told no, I never fight back unless needed. After all, no means no, so I've followed that.

"Maren?" I heard Milla say with her gaze still ahead. My brown eyes looked up at her, and she continued. "I've never had to do what you humans call 'camping.' I have always used Sylph to fly me around, and Undine would keep me from getting wet. For a runaway Exodus agent like yourself, you must know how to camp easier than anyone else. What with you and your brother running from them, after all."

"Uhhh…"

"Perhaps you could teach us how to make a fire? Or to cook a simple meal."

"Umm…"

"Or to put up this covering called a tent."

"I don't exactly know too well about camping in the wilderness."

Milla looked down at me for the first time within the hour of being out here. "You do not know? But you-"

"I wasn't ever lying when I said my brother took care of everything for me." Yes I was. I was totally lying, but it was the only thing for an excuse. Ugh, camping in tents… I dreaded the idea. Sounds like bugs constantly buzzing around you, itchy grass, and not to mention being out in complete darkness…

"Interesting. You're as clueless as me, and yet you're the same age as Jude."

"You look like you're around 20, so don't go saying that to me like it's a pity."

The conversation went quiet, and I looked behind at the two boys. They seemed to be murmuring about something, but I couldn't quite hear the words. It bothered me, and I really want to know what they're saying. Maybe I'll find out some other time.

As we continued our walk, the sun began to set, and the shadows of the cliffs around us grew. Soon our only light source will be the moon, and we could already tell how dark it was actually going to be. So, we found ourselves a spot to rest in. It was on one of the ledges. Alvin said that most monsters won't come up on the ledge at night, since it looked secluded enough. I felt bad for just standing and watching Jude and Alvin try to get the cart up and over. But they insisted that Milla and I just go and find fire wood. And we did.

Being my paranoid self, I took my sword, keeping my ears open to the noises around us. I didn't want something to happen like in Symphonia's sequel. You know, where Emil goes to gather wood, and is suddenly attacked by one of those weird dragon dudes. Yeah, me no want to run into a dragon and fight alongside Richter-

"Maren." Milla said, looking over at me and pointing down at the end of a tree. "These look burnable. We should gather them." I stared at first, but nodded, running over. There was surprisingly a couple handy things. A long stick that we could use to move the wood around, some dry grass that will be easy fuel, and a lot of slender sticks scattered about.

"Sure, I think these will be enough." And we gathered them all up, heading back to the campsite. Roaming around in the darkness is scary… I want my lamp that I would keep on in my room. At least that way I could see what's going on, and not be in the darkness of mystery.

Reaching the ledge, Alvin took the fire supplies before helping us up. As Milla and I sat down where the fire would be started, Jude started to create a circle of rocks. Then, Alvin began to stack the sticks up, eventually making a fire with flint he had and the dried grass we gathered.

"I didn't even tell you to get this stuff." He pointed towards the dead slivers of plant. "You're smart."

"Thank you." I bowed my head with a humorous way, then started to swing back and forth. Milla watched with amusement while Jude and Alvin got the fire and food prepared. I feel a little useless… They're kind of doing everything by themselves. What can I possibly help with? My paranoia would probably have me mess something up. But I don't want to feel useless. I don't want to feel like I'm just here to watch like how it would be back home.

By the thought of feeling like I'm just there, I remembered the face of my friend, Alicia. She was one of the few people who made me feel… Alive. I rarely went to go hang out with friends until she came along. I never made plans with someone on the last day of school. She joked with me about somehow appearing in another world from anime, she showed me how to get out of my comfort zone. Meeting her was like… A fresh start.

And yet, here, I feel useless, again. Surrounded by people who know way more about ways of life than me. People who are destined to become heroes. People who are suspicious, brave, and made from a game. Jude, who'd I'd fantasize about with Alicia, only to be teased about marrying him someday. Milla, who knows nothing about the human world that it's almost sad when seen in person. Not to mention Alvin. Someone with a shady past who's easily able to hide his problems and truths that it's almost scary. More characters like them are going to walk into the party. I'll most likely feel even more useless.

"Maren." I slowly looked up at Jude who was pouring the soup into a bowl. "How much would you like?" He asked. I stared in silence, thinking things over. These characters' problems used to be made up. But now they're real. Jude's going through a confusing part of his life, and soon he'll go through a huge slap at his face when Milla falls into the ocean. I feel sorry for him. I feel as though I have to stop as much suffering as I can.

"Day dreaming, again?" Alvin mused after swallowing the spoonful of soup he took. It was then that I jolted, seeming to come back to reality.

"S-Sorry…" I stuttered, patting my stomach. "I… I'll only have a little. I seemed to have lost my appetite." The three gave me incredulous looks. Before they could ask what's wrong, I simply said, "Just recovering from some… Home sickness, I guess." And only did Alvin and Jude give me understanding looks. Milla just stared, her facial expression hiding any hint of what was going on in her mind.

After the meal, Alvin chose to be the first watch.

"Not that we really need it, but who knows." He said.

We only had two tents set up, but they were bigger than how I thought they would be. They definitely could hold at least to people. It'll be like at the inn. Jude will sleep with Alvin (Juvin is blossoming), and Millia will sleep with me. We couldn't mix it up because that could lead to a couple problems, especially if we tried to do it by age. Poor Jude, he would be sneezing all night.

I crawled into the tent, already claiming my side – the right. I happen to like the right. I personally don't know why. I'll just stay curled up in here for the time being. Jude and Milla should still be out there. Or at least, I thought they would.

"Maren, we would like to speak with you." I heard Milla's voice from outside the tent. I was confused at first, but then scared. Could she have figured out that my lie about being a part of Exodus wasn't true? I carefully crawled back out of the mini shelter, staring up at the lit faces of all three characters. I took a second to let the fact that those features are real to sink in. Then, I propped myself up on my knees.

I looked between each of them, feeling as though they were each towering me. "S-So…" I began, rather quietly. "What's up?"

"When you were talking about Tim," Jude started, looking down at his hands. "I could see how much you love him. I'm sorry for accusing you about lying if he was real or not." I nodded a little, trying to signal that it was okay.

"But when the honor student told me about what you were saying," Alvin took place, next. "One of the stories seemed to catch our curiosity." I stared, feeling as though sweat was going down the side of my face. I wasn't sure if it was because of the heat from the fire, or if it was me being nervous. "You told me when we first met that you and… Tim were alone, and made it seem like your parents died before you could remember them." I nodded hesitantly.

Now it was Milla's turn. Her arms were crossed, looking down at me. "I quote, 'there was this one time where he fell into a giant mud spot, and splashed it on the rest of us.' What did you mean by the rest of us? It certainly seems like you had more family."

"If you had friends or people who cared for you, surely they would have taken you in once your parents died, right?" Jude's orange eyes looked straight into mine. I felt weak. I remember that dream I had about that blinding, white fuzz. He said I had to have all of the people in the group to be around me. Only then would he become visible and that my recognition of him would come upon me.

I stayed silent, looking down, and gripping my hands in my lap. There has to be some way to stall… They're starting to catch on. Yes, the people who knew me would probably take me in. Then Jude would try to do what Asbel does with Sophie. Find those people who know me so I can have shelter. There has to be some way… Brittany gave Lloyd a deadline. There's no deadline that these guys know of. So how..?

"…Does it trouble you to talk about it?" Alvin spoke up. Oh, you mercenary, thank you for the idea.

I nodded a little, looking up at them slowly. "I… You'd be fine if I waited until I was comfortable to tell, right..?" They each looked at each other, exchanging glances, and seeming to understand. Then, their eyes landed on me, each nodding with agreement. I smiled with relief, and we each had different thoughts on why.

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**()()()**

**Yeah, I didn't even get to the shrine! *jumps up in a Mario Pose to celebrate only to fall back down into a pit***

**. . . I will try my hardest to get the next chapter not only longer, but more interesting. I have a feeling the plot didn't really progress too much in this one. :/**

**Also! I am, however, getting closer to making OCMaren's official Adventure Outfit! For those of you who check my Facebook page or looked on my Deviantart account, you've seen my sketches of possible outfits. Honestly, I hope to have feedback on which one would be best. Just so I can possibly tweak the one I have planned. The links are in my bio. Everyone on here either has a Facebook or Deviantart account, right? If you have a paranoia like me and don't want your real name to be seen, you can either comment on DA on the picture, or look at the picture, and do your suggestion in a review on here. Or... PM me. I don't know, everyone has their ways. I DON'T BITE. . . . Only when I'm in danger.**

**Anyway, peace! Review any mistakes I made or if this is really good!**


	12. 12 Meet the Handmaid of Maxwell

**Hey, hey, hey! It's me! Your beloved author Mewnia! Heh, that's a weird greeting. Anyway, due to some writer's block, this chapter is - be prepared to cringe - 2,600 something words long! Yeah, it's short. And I had to post it today because, surprise surprise, my family is going on yet ANOTHER vacation. It's UEA weekend, after all! I hate how I'll be missing three days of school. They should just cancel out the whole week like they do with Thanksgiving. Sheesh.**

**To continue on, please read the author note at the end! 'Tis going to be something you might like!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I am not the owner of Tales of Xillia. So sorry. I would have added more unicorns if I was. . . . Actually, be grateful I don't own Xillia.**

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The sun rose, birds chirping in the distance. I was sleeping comfortably in the tent from last night. Milla, Jude, and Alvin are probably outside getting ready to leave. Though, while I was laying on my side, a hand shook my shoulder. I groaned in response, ready to say 'just five more minutes.' At least, until I actually rolled over to see who it was.

"HOLY CRAP-" I scooted back in my mat, pointing directly at the figure in front of me. "G-Get out! Why the heck are you in here?!"

"Ma'am, please calm down! I came in here to tell you that outsiders are not welcome in these sacred lands!"

"That doesn't mean you barge into a tent with a sleeping girl!"

_WHACK  
_

* * *

Well. They left me. Jude, Milla, and Alvin all went ahead to the shrine without me. I was left behind to sleep and be discovered by the idiot.

"Ivar, you don't have to keep hold of my arm." I muttered, glaring in the male's direction. Apparently, he saw the tents while flying on his Wyvern this morning. Being his stubborn self, he decided to fly down and see who was invading the sacred land.

The guardian huffed, pulling me along the direction he was going. "I have to keep an eye on you in case you try to get away." I groaned. "If what you say about Lady Milla is true, then I have to go see her right away." Oh yeah, I may have, uh… Told him that Milla lost the power of the four great spirits on accident. I regret it, yes, because I don't want to ride on a Wyvern! I'm perfectly fine with walking on the ground where it's safe, thank you.

As we got closer to the beast, my struggling stopped as I stared in shock. Wyverns are huge! And… Very brown. Plus, it doesn't look like there are any seat belts.

Ivar climbed on, tugging at my arm. "Come on, trespasser! We have to get to Lady Milla as soon as possible!"

"Alright, alright! I just… Uh…" I hesitantly tried to climb onto the monster, not sure _how_ to get on.

"Right foot."

"Um…"

"No, you put it around that area."

"Won't that hurt it?"

"Have you ever ridden a Wyvern, before?"

"Not… Really…"

"Afraid of heights?" I glanced up at Ivar who was now giving me a bored look. I returned the emotion, but had to avoid the gaze after a while.

A slight blush of shame went over my cheeks as I replied, "Not heights… Just things possibly plummeting down to earth- I mean ground- from a really high level." After I said that, Ivar pulled me on to the beast's back, ranting on how his 'amazing and trusted Wyvern' won't every fall out of the sky. Yeah, Sheena said that about the Rheiards and, whoop de do, they fell.

After Ivar forced me on, I held tight on to him. It's official that there aren't any seat belts on this thing, which only made my grip on the guardian tighter. He said a couple words to the Wyvern, it obeyed, and off we flew to the skies. It was interesting to see how well Ivar could manage the beast. Especially seeing how high up we are. The breeze is relaxing and cool, while the view of the Hallowmont is breathtaking along with Kijara Seafalls in the back. I could stay up here all day! This is way better than being in an airplane-

_The Wyvern jolted back._

"Good feeling's gone..!" I muttered as my eyes widened with panic. A sudden burst of turbulence came from two green monsters below us. Wait, those are from Bermia Gordge!

Ivar's grip on the Wyvern's reins grew tighter. "Those aren't native to this area!" I heard him shout over the wind. Except I could tell that it wasn't as loud as it could have been. I wonder why. Then again, it could be that I'm squeezing him to death.

Suddenly, the Wyvern dived down, the guardian pulling out a sword, and slashing the monsters in half as we zoomed past. My grip was so tight around his torso that I swear my knuckles could be whiter than white by now. I was shaking, giving up on looking around the area. With my head buried into Ivar's back, I could only feel and hear the strong wind blowing past us. I do not want to see how high up we are, I do not want to start being paranoid about the possibilities of plummeting to the ground, I do not like how Ivar smells-

"Trespasser."

I groaned.

"Trespasser!"

"Whaaaat…"

"We're going from here on foot. I ask that you please let go." My head popped up, seeing how we had landed on the ground. Except in front of us was a very long stairway. It wasn't just long, it was steep, too! Probably about 10 miles up and steeper than my drive way! I do _not_ want to hike that! But I guess I'm not getting my silent wish because Ivar was already pulling me up the stairway.

Ivar, I can't wait until Milla tells you you're annoying.

I stumbled along as he pulled me. My feet dreaded the stairs, my legs dread hiking, and my mood just says bleck… However, as we continued, I became interested in the rhythm our feet were making. Then, the rustling in the trees above us. Then something crossed my mind.

Hey, I'm in Reize Maxia. I'm not on Earth. I should enjoy this adventure! But… Stairs… But awesomeness! But…

"Stairs…" I groaned, losing the rhythm in the footsteps. However, a confident expression crossed my face, and I stood straight, stopping on a step. Ivar looked over at me, confused, and was about to say something until I interrupted him. "Race me!" I shouted, charging up the stairs, deciding to entertain myself after all. I won't let negativity and laziness take over me. I know this feeling won't last forever, might as well use it on these long, terrible steps of horror. Ivar is definitely left down there with a bewildered face, ha! I can just picture it! He's probably already weirded out by my weirdness.

However, when I looked back to see him following, there was no sight of him. Instead, it was me being bewildered. I turned my whole body, stopping a few dozen steps from the top. There was no trace of him. No footprints, no messed up leaves, not even a figure of a person could be seen. This concerned me, but I shrugged it off after a couple minutes of contemplating it, and continued my way up. This time, I went a little slower. I took my time, listening to the wind blow by, and noticing how my head was throbbing a little. My hand reached up to hold the side. It felt like something was flowing in and out of the area, and right then I knew that must be where the mana lobe was. Right, spirits are dying, so mana lobes can't work correctly and spirit artes malfunction.

What if something like that happened while we were in battle? The mana lobe malfunction was only mentioned in the first chapter of the game, and then forgotten later on. I wonder why… Plot holes, I guess? I hope we don't have a spirit arte accident in battle. That would suck.

Finally, I reached the top and stretched. I conquered the hike! Yes-

"When you said race, I didn't expect you to slow down in the middle of it." I jumped, screaming a little before looking up. Ivar was sitting on a tree branch, a snotty grin on his face. "You should know better, trespasser, than to challenge the handmaid of Maxwell!" He pointed a thumb towards his face, eyes closing with confidence. I glared, being so tempted to burn that tree. But, I'm a kind person. I don't go around killing nature and possibly people whenever I get angry. No, sir.

Replying with only silence, I walked forward, reaching the steps of the shrine. I heard a huge thud, possibly Ivar landing on the ground from the tree. Right when I raised my hand to open the door, a loud kind of bang came from inside the shrine. Not much of a bang but loud crumbling of rocks? I'm not sure, but the guardian had no hesitation to charge inside.

"Lady Milla!" He shouted.

"Oh, is that you, Ivar..?" I heard Milla reply in a weak tone. I walked in, Jude and Alvin looking back at me. When Alvin was about to say something, Ivar beat him to it.

"I was worried sick! Once I saw the tents and found a trespasser, I couldn't imagine what would happen to your shrine! Then, they told me you couldn't summon the great four. Is that true, Lady Milla?" All eyes landed on me. After all, I followed Ivar in, and they had left me behind. I was obviously the one he was talking about. Underneath all their stares, I shrunk a little, feeling timid.

Milla stayed silent until she finally caught her breath. "…Yes, I can no longer summon the Four Great Spirits."

"How is that possible?!" Ivar shouted in disbelief, quickly standing from a crouching position he was in.

Jude took a couple steps forward and said, "Well… The Lance of Kresnik sucked them away from Milla."

"Could they be dead or something?" Alvin questioned, swinging side to side in boredom.

Oh boy did that set Ivar off. His lime green eyes glared at the mercenary as he angrily pointed in his direction. "Idiot! Great spirits cannot die!" Jude, Alvin, and I took a step back at the sudden burst of verbal denial. "Like a lesser spirit, a Great Spirit becomes a fossil when it passes away. Yet its power transfers into the next Great Spirit!"

"At least, that's what they say. No one's ever really seen it happen." Jude whispered, turning towards Alvin. He just gave a small glance at Jude and I before directing his rolling eyes at Ivar.

"That's blasphemy! Spirits are undying beings that dwell in the spirit world! It's beyond your understanding!" The handmaid burst out, again. However, he then quickly got in front of Milla as she was starting to stand up. "Now, you will all leave! This is holy ground, and you'll desecrate it no more! I'm the only one ordained to serve Lady Milla!" And he did his obnoxious pose once more.

"He sure has a goofy grin…" I whispered to Jude and Alvin, causing them to both snicker.

Though, Ivar didn't like that at all, taking an angry step forward. "What was that?!"

"Ivar, please leave, as well. You can go home." Milla stated, folding her arms in impatience as she carefully thought. "Let me see… How should I put this?" Oh goodness, it's my favorite part! "You're annoying." She glared with the most bored expression ever. This left the handmaid shocked, utterly speechless. With that, we all headed out the shrine, except Milla, and walked down the tiny steps to wait for the spirit to come out. I was pretty upset with that whole scene. It was changed a little. Jude didn't say Howe's egg principal, not to mention the conversation was definitely shortened.

Guess it's my fault for telling Ivar what was going one before he even knew.

I stared at Jude as he thought, seeing Ivar rant in the corner of my eye. I was worried about this teen. He was smart and good with health, yes, but… That doesn't mean his struggles can be done on his own. He's probably thinking about what to do from here on out, how Hamil is doing, and how the Lance of Kresnik can even have the power to take away the great spirits.

"Are you even listening?!" Ivar burst, pulling at Jude's shoulder to face him.

The amber eyes seemed to focus, looking up at the handmaid with slight confusion. "Uh… Y-Yeah, I mean… Huh..?"

Oh Jude, you're adorable-

"You sure slap yourself a lot." Alvin pointed out, nudging my arm. I replied with a quiet 'shut up' as Ivar heaved a big sigh.

"Heed my words! Henceforth, only I shall serve the Lady Milla! Interfere at your peril!" Ivar stated, pointing angrily at the medical student. After a couple more rants, he stomped his way back down the steep steps, and I groaned at the sight of those things. Then, Alvin moved forward, patting on Jude's shoulder.

"You two gonna stick around?" He asked, and Jude nodded. "Okay, I'll be back at the village." We each nodded, again, and it was Alvin's turn to go down the stairs. He definitely saw his signal in the forest. Otherwise, he wouldn't be leaving so fast. I looked in the trees, trying to find any kind of figure, and I did. It was hard to see, but it was tall and only there for a few seconds before disappearing. That had to be Gaius. I wonder why he stood by a little longer. Wouldn't he have taken off right when Alvin had seen him? Could he just have been scanning Jude and I like a kickbutt robot trying to find weaknesses in his enemies? Seriously, that guy is too cool for his own good.

It took a few minutes before Milla walked out of the shrine. During that time of waiting, I tried to stay away from Jude no matter the urge to run up and squeeze the living out of him with a hug. Oh gosh, not only would he be sneezing tons, he'd be feeling the pain.

Anyway, Milla and Jude did their talk on bravery, and Jude saying that he wanted to come with. Of course, I also looked over at them and agreed, saying that I wanted to join Milla with her journey, as well. It was interesting to listen to them without interrupting the whole scene. I felt… Confident. The balloon of proudlyness that Milla shot down was back up. I have no idea why, but the walk down the stairs seemed to be too short.

Surprisingly, it was only ten in the morning by the time we reached the place where we had set up camp. It looked like either Alvin or Ivar had taken it all down. I doubt any of us left something important in that setup other than tents, so we moved on with our walk.

"Man, walking feels different, today. Is it just me or is it just me?" I stretched, trying to start some conversation.

"I think it's, uh… Well, it's not just you. Let's go with that." Jude shrugged, looking past Milla at me with a smile. I smiled back, breaking into a small skip.

"That's good. Especially since walking long distances isn't very appealing to me."

"Sounds like you are… Lazy." Milla stated, putting her hand to her chin. "Yes, I believe that's the right term."

It felt like I had gotten an arrow shoved into my back as she said that. "Aww, come on! Milla, stop shooting down my balloon of proudlyness!"

"… Proudlyness?" Jude questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah! It's a word I made up." I replied, then patted my stomach. "Man, I'm also starting to need some food! When do we eat?"

Silence.

"Guys..?" Why were they being silent? Geez, they better not be thinking about keeping all the food to themselves- Then it hit me. "… Alvin's the one with the food."

"Yeah…"

"Indeed."

"Well. Then be prepared to hear me complain constantly about being starved to death."

Seriously, Alvin? You took off with both the camping supplies AND our food? Remind me to weakly kick you in the back when I see you.

**()()()()**

**So! This is something great, now isn't? A five to ten minute read? Good for those of you who are in school and SHOULD BE DOING HOMEWORK AT THE MOMENT. **

**XD Just kidding, even I should be doing homework. ANYWAY, the author's note that I wanted you to read! _If you've checked my Deviantart account from the last couple days, you'd have known that OCMaren is taking questions! Ask any question at all, and she will answer it on both my Deviantart page AND Facebook! The links are in my profile_, unless you're too lazy to go there. - ****Here: .com and be careful with how you put that in the bar thingy.**

**And just search Mewnia on Facebook! Trust me, there is no other page with that name. SO! Ask away, and I will answer while I'm on vacation! WHOOT!**

**I apologize again for making this chapter really short.**


	13. 13 The Plot Thickens?

**Hey! Look! A new chapter! Yeah, hopefully this one is pretty good for a 5,000 word chapter.**

**Not much to say, or at least not much is coming to mind at the moment. Only thing to say is I may be rewritting the first few chapters at some point. Ugh, they're a little... Cringe-y.**

**DISCLAIMER: I have no owner-ship-boat-washtub-whatever over Tales of Xillia!**

* * *

So going to kick him. Totally going to kick the mercenary. Gonna kick him as hard as I can, but it might not hurt him because I'm a weakling.

My mind was swirling with revenge as we walked across Nia Khera Spiritway. No doubt we'll reach the town around night time or so, meaning we may have to spend a night in the village. Stupid Alvin might get there earlier than us and be able to have a wonderful lunch and dinner… Ugh! I want food! Food is tasty! Food is good for meee!

Though, with sleeping in Nia Khera, I wonder what their beds are going to feel like. Maybe smell like, and… What they're made of. In the game, weren't there animal pellets on the beds? No? Yes? Honestly, I don't remember. I hope there aren't, because animal pellets seem to, uh, gross me out. Seriously, they're peeled off skin and fur from animals. Ew.

After letting my thoughts of revenge settle, I looked around our area. Well, I'm guessing it's around noon not only because my stomach is growling really badly, but we're only "fifteen miles away from Nia Khera and we'd most likely get there around five." Is what Jude said. So, I took time to do math. It takes at least twenty minutes to travel just a single mile at least, so I times fifteen by twenty… Fifteen times two equals thirty, then I add on the zero I took off of twenty, so three hundred. Divide that by sixty (which is how many minutes are in an hour) and I get five. Jude said we'd get to Nia Khera around five, so… You get the whole thing, right? It's a school method, I know.

Wait.

"Juuuuude, you made me unconsciously do math!" I groaned, slumping my shoulders. He only laughed, scratching his cheek.

"Sorry?" The medical student shrugged.

Milla folded her arms. "Math is simple. However, when I found that humans added in letters called 'variables' into the equations, I eventually found it harder."

"Ah, Milla learned math!" I jumped, balling up my fists with confidence. "What's two plus two?" I asked, and the two main characters gave me strange looks. But, they just shook it off as my weirdness and decided to answer.

"Four." The spirit replied proudly.

"Yeah, four. It's a preschool question…" The medical student shook his head with an expression that said 'good grief.'

"Nope!"

The two looked at me, again, with confused expressions.

But then Jude realized something. "Wait, are you going to say the answer is twenty two? A childhood friend used to say it all the time."

"Nope. 'Tis fish."

"Fish?"

"Yeah, when you flip one of the twos around and put them together, it makes a fish."

They just stared, before looking ahead and staying quiet.

"R…Really…" They both muttered, and it went silent. Crap. I'm not good with silence. Then again, it was silent for the first few minutes after we learned that Alvin had the food. But Jude also broke that silence by saying what time we'd get to Nia Khera by.

…Well, darn.

Uh, gotta think of a topic. Bananas? No, maybe unicorns. Do they even have unicorns in this world? I know they do with Symphonia, but what about Xillia? Maybe it's hiding somewhere, or trapped deep in the lake. Maybe I could do a topic about gnomes and how they're so creepy to be throwing up rainbows. Oh shoot, there was supposed to be a new episode of Gravity Falls coming out. Darn you mysterious force for making the cliffhanger even longer for me!

I've only been here for three days and I'm only thinking about that now? I might even miss the release of Zestiria! Nooo!

As I was making my way through all the stuff I would possibly miss out by being here for almost a year, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I ignored it, though. Well, it wasn't really ignorance, it was just that I was too caught up in my thoughts.

But the hand that tapped my shoulder now gripped it, pulling me back. It was a sudden force, making the world spin as I fell. I saw Jude and Milla try to catch me from falling, but they faded as well as their cries of my name. I was confused. Cold. Dizzy. _What's happening? Why now all of a sudden?_ I could feel my eyes still open, but the area was dark around me. I decided to see if I was going to encounter one of the blurs of light that I've been seeing and carefully pushed myself up.

It wasn't blurs.

" '_Bout time we catch your attention!"_ A green and yellow colored figure was floating. It wore a dark blue jacket and had goggles over its forehead. But it wasn't the only figure. There was a blue one that didn't have legs but a tail of a mermaid. Then there was a red figure with a giant, gaping hole in their stomach. Last was a tiny yellow and brown figure seeming to be laying on top of a giant globe.

What was off was that they were each surrounded by purple cages.

My brown eyes stared for a long while before I managed to say something.

"…I must have had skittles for dinner."

"_Skit…tles? Efreet, do you happen to know of that word?" _The yellow spirit lifted its long ear as if it was a hand and scratch its head.

"_No, but it sounds like a type of food the humans from her world eat."_

"_Oh, it doesn't sound like a food."_

The blue spirit sighed, holding their hands up. _"Boys, I believe you are frightening the human."_

"_Nah, she can't be frightened."_ The green one waved off the blue's comment. _"Lord Maxwell said himself that she's somehow seen us, before."_

"Maxwell?" I questioned, taking a step forward. All four's attention were on me. Almost feeling like I needed to hide behind something, I continued on. "Does he know about me? How?" They each looked at each other with thoughtful expressions before looking back at me with an answer no one ever wants to hear.

"_I'm afraid we can't tell you quite yet."_

Then why mention his name? Is Maxwell the one who's been visiting me in my dreams? In Milla's version of Xillia, it does show him conversing with her. So it's highly possible. But what about that faceless smile I saw in my last weird dream?

Then, the figure on the small globe bounced a little. _"But you know who we are, right?"_

I nodded.

"_Say our names so we know for certain."_ The red spoke gruffly which made me start to feel a little… Numb in their presence.

But I took a deep breath to try to calm myself down. "Sylph, Undine, Efreet, and Gnome."

"_Good, you do know us."_ Undine smiled softly.

Sylph rolled his eyes. _"Whoop de do…"_

The water spirit glared towards his direction before she continued to speak. _"Then you would know of our powers."_ I nodded again, feeling as though they think I'm stupid. _"Could you explain the Aqué Steps that appeared when you first walked down to the water hole?"_

"Aqué Steps..? Oh, the platforms Milla walked on. Uh… I thought it was just something that reacted. Rebuilt itself. I have no scientific explanation, but-"

"_That was me."_ She interrupted. I stared at her for a few awkward seconds, eyebrows knitting together as I let the scene when the blue lights appeared on the water go through my mind. She seemed to notice my look of both concern and confusion, deciding to explain. _"Lord Maxwell has given us the assignment to make sure that you are able to stay by Milla in whatever way we can. When we were informed of your coming, I made it so the Aqué Steps reformed so you could go in after her."_

"_However,"_ It was Efreet's turn to talk, _"With what has happened to us, we cannot follow what we have been asked. Either this was supposed to happen-"_

"_Or you're just a bad luck charm!"_ Sylph interjected. This time it was both Undine and Efreet who glared at the spirit boy.

"…_Or Lord Maxwell knew this would happen and brought you in to take our place."_

"Those both seem like the same thing. Either way you're saying it was supposed to happen." I looked down at my feet, rubbing my arm as I chewed on my bottom lip. "Which… It technically was."

"_Then that's good, right? At least we know that."_ Gnome hopped happily on his globe. The rest of the Four also smiled with relief. Or… At least I think Efreet did. I've been guessing his emotions since he doesn't really have a… face. Well, he does, but-

"_**Maren!"**_

Everyone looked around the dark space quickly. The four looked at each other as if speaking at court, then their attentions were back on me.

"_It appears you're waking up."_ Undine murmured.

Sylph pointed at me with a grin and said, _"Tell Milla we're fine, but a rescue as soon as she can would be great!"_

"_Just keep her out of danger!"_ Gnome squeaked.

"_And don't upset Lord Maxwell. Follow his request to keep her on her path."_ Efreet was the final one to speak before they each disappeared, and the dark space began to turn white. It blinded me, and suddenly I felt something holding me up. It was warm, but… something itched my nose.

Really bad.

"Ah… ACHOO!" I sneezed, throwing my head forward and whacking my forehead hard on something solid.

"Ow..!"

"Maren! You're awake!"

My brown eyes focused more and I realized that what I hit was the back of Milla's head. She was carrying me, and Jude was walking beside us. What must have tickled my nose was her hair, and what the voice that called my name in that…dream…must have been Jude!

Wait… That was only a dream..?

But I don't recall going to sleep at all.

Four hours later (apparently I was asleep for one already) we finally made it to Nia Khera. Milla had put me down a while ago when we made sure I wouldn't be falling down, again. No, I did not tell them about the Four Spirits. That would be saved for later. When I feel like it.

We walked through the entrance, and I looked to where Alvin would be seen sitting. He wasn't there, and I slightly panicked.

"Alvin might be with the mayor." Jude commented, looking around the area that we could see.

"Not very likely." Milla interjected. "The villagers might have already gotten him an empty hut prepared. They know we would have to camp in the Kijara Seafalls if we left town at this time."

I scoffed, "And the main reason must be to give as much hospitality to Lord Maxwell while they can?" She nodded, and we made our way around the small village. We approached the hut that I remember being the inn in the game. Guess they just don't actually have a real inn for the same reason as Hamil. Not many travelers.

However, when we reached the hut, I smelled something good. Frantically, I looked around the area that I could see from where I stood, but there was no sight of any kind of smoke. Until I looked at the top of the hut we were at. Milla must have smelled it, too, because she opened that door so fast and with so much force that I heard it slam against the wall with a few things falling off a nearby table.

There stood Alvin, cooking some meat at the stove.

He looked over with a sly expression and grinned. "Took you guys long enough. I didn't expect to see Milla with you. Especially if she's the one who opened the door like that." The three of us walked in, all seeming to have a fixed gaze on the meat that was cooking. "…So you've made up your mind?" Alvin continued, and Jude was strong enough to pull away from the mesmerizing food.

He nodded, "Yeah, Maren and I are going with Milla."

"Whoa. I can see some reasons Maren may have, but… You're quite the flip-flopper. I thought you regretted getting involved in all this."

"True, but," the medical student put his hand up to his chin in thought, "I made a decision to help her, and I'm sticking to it."

"I have nothing better to do." I added.

"Well how 'bout that…" He turned back to the food. "Anyway, sorry I took the food and didn't leave any."

"Oh you better be sorry!" I burst, but immediately hid behind Milla when everyone looked at me.

Everyone paused for a few seconds, but then each of us heard loud growls from our stomachs.

Jude laughed softly. "I guess we'll eat once the meat's done. Then, it should be off to bed for the night."

* * *

I was too stuffed and tired from the walk to be worried how the beds were. However, I couldn't seem to let me eyes close. Staring at the ceiling, I lied there in the bed. I could hear the soft breaths of the others, and could only feel my foot going to sleep. Meeting the four today was definitely not what I expected. Is Maxwell the main reason why I'm here? He knows I have knowledge of the future, but how? How does he know? And last I checked in my memories, he doesn't have a faceless smile. And…he doesn't shine white. So who or…what could be behind my reason for being here?

My mind spun for so long, I don't even remember falling asleep. The next thing I knew, it was morning, and I was woken up by a villager walking into the hut with what looked like an offering. I pretended I was still asleep so I could see what it was without causing a reason for them to start a conversation. There were four plates with what looked like yummy delights and salads. That must be our breakfast.

But there was another thing. A golden-brown bag that had a note attached to it. That must have been Alvin's money. Yes! Now I'll be able to get new clothes! But… That'll probably still be a while since I doubt they have any in this village, and don't even think about stopping at Hamil. Once we reach that place, we'll be kicked out immediately.

The villager left, and I saw Alvin sit up. At first, I kept pretending to sleep, until he looked over at me, motioning for me to come with him. He walked out, and I opened my eyes, staring at the door.

These characters and their seeming-to-have psychic powers…

"How did you know I was awake..?" I said as I walked over to Alvin who was leaning against the railing of the bridge. The sun was just barely beginning to rise, and I could tell my body went to sleep early last night.

"Your acting isn't really… Great." He pointed out, and I weakly slapped his arm.

"Shuddup, Teddy…" I groaned, sitting up on top of the railing. "…Why did you want me to come out here?"

"So you could see the sunrise."

"I doubt that."

The mercenary chuckled before stuffing his hands in his pockets and turning towards the hill that led to the marsh.

"You're right. I have someone who wants to speak with you."

"Huh..? But-!" Before I could even question who it was, Alvin grabbed my wrist, pulling me off the bridge and to the marsh field. He led me to a giant lake, and a blue figure stood there. My eyes widened, recognizing it as Presa, and she turned when we had arrived.

"…So, this is the one he meant having the weird clothing." She said, avoiding the gaze of Alvin. I waved slightly, nervous as to who she could be talking about. "You need to make sure she changes into something more normal."

"Already been planning that…" I mumbled, and Alvin saluted a little before gripping my wrist.

"Got my money, so I should be able to get her new clothes."

Presa was quiet, folding her arms. Then she turned and began to walk towards a small boat that was waiting in the water.

"He also wants you to keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't join Exodus. That's an addition to your job."

And she was floating her way to where I'm guessing Xian Du is.

"…Is this about those weird figures that were in the trees before you left Milla's shrine?"

"Nope, you're dreaming." And he pulled me back to Nia Khera. "Good news is you get new clothes."

"I have never been more confused in my life."

"And that's a good thing."

We waited at the bridge for about thirty minutes before the sun could be completely seen in the sky. Those thirty minutes gave me enough time to think about what Presa was talking about. It must have been Gaius sending a message to Alvin. Since I'm pretty sure that his new job is to find out where the key to the Lance of Kresnik is. Or… Has he had that job since the beginning? All I know, is that he's known about Milla for a while. Why am I an addition to that job? I would ask him, but… I'm both lazy and too scared.

It didn't take long for Milla and Jude to finally merge out of the hut. Milla was carrying one of the plates of the yummies, and my stomach growled at the sight.

"Be right back." I hopped down from the railing and ran inside the hut. They wouldn't leave without me, and I don't want to hear more script until we meet Elize. Then, I'm kicking the Hamil villagers' butts. I especially don't want to listen to Ivar putting Jude down. Maybe I'll stay here in the hut, stall some time until it's time to leave. Yeah, resting my feet for as long as I can sounds nice.

So, I sat down next to the food and began to eat the yummy-looking croissant. At least, it looked like a croissant. I'm not entirely sure since they don't have France in this world. Hmm… makes me wonder if they really do have toast that's named French toast or French Fries.

I laughed to myself, placing the piece of tasty bread into my mouth. When I finished, I stood, putting my belt with its bag around my waist and sheathing the sword. My brown eyes looked around the room for a mirror or something that I could see my reflection in. Man, I haven't seen what I look like in three nights. What if there's some acne I need to get rid of? Or I have mud on my face?

My eyes landed on a small mirror that was set on a knee-high table. I reached down, holding it up to my face. I tried to fix how my hair looked, which took a while before it decided to listen to me. Sadly, one side still flipped while the other curled under my chin. Then, I had to wipe the sleep from my eyes along with the boogers that formed. Eye boogers have always confused me. Why do we get them? Nasty dirt?

I gagged, forcing that thought to the side. Then, I checked the sides of my face, my cheeks, nose, and forehead for any acne. Nope, no new ones. Just maybe some black heads, which aren't so bad. I smiled at my reflection out of habit and noticed my teeth were starting to look a little yellow. Shoot.

Yay, hygiene… I placed the mirror back down, looking at how my shirt and pants look. I'll have to get the holes and tears sewed up. Maybe I could ask Rowen to do that when we meet him. After all, these are my favorite clothes. I don't want to just get rid of them. Maybe I'll switch between them and my new clothes. That way I won't have to stay in the same clothes every day! Yeah, something like that. That might be helpful if I fall in a puddle, or another monster's blood gets on me, again.

Finally, I decided I took long enough and headed for the door before my attention went back to the food. Alvin's share was still there. Since I knew we'd see him again, I wrapped up the leftovers with a napkin, pulled the rope out from my mini bag (almost forgot I had it), tied it together, and walked outside. I'll do him a favor and maybe he'll do one back someday.

"Please come back again, Lady Milla!" I looked over and saw Milla and Jude waving at Ivar who was by a couple chickens. Oh gosh, his wide-ranged wave is so embarrassing… How can he do that and not feel even the slightest bit ashamed? Oh well, it looks like Alvin said his goodbyes already.

"Oh, Maren! Are you ready to go?" Jude smiled as they both walked over. I smiled back, nodding a little. I was starting to get used to how Jude would stay back a few feet. But soon I'll be able to get close to him. Soooooon.

Okay, that's a little creepy.

We made our way out of the village, the sun barely rising. I knew Gaius and the clan would be watching us as we went out. I also knew that we'd be running into Alvin back at the Kijara Seafalls. I won't tell Milla and Jude, but I'm sure it won't make much difference.

When we reached the entrance to the Seafalls, Milla stopped in her tracks, and I took this as a chance to quickly pull off my shoes. Jude turned around to ask her what was wrong.

"I was mulling over our options. What if we can't take a boat straight to Fennmont?"

"Well…"

As Jude tried to think it over, I looked at the area where Alvin was now standing. "I vote against taking the land route through Auj Oule. Travelling through the mountains would be a real pain." He spoke, which surprised Jude and Milla. They said his name with confusion as I just tilted my head. "We could head towards Sharilton from the Sapstrath Seahaven."

"You're joining us, then, if you're using the word 'we.'" I pushed Jude's line to the side.

"That handmaid of yours offered me a little job," Alvin replied, hands on his hips as he swayed side to side. "He wasn't so crazy about his exalted spirit travelling with a couple pipsqueaks as protectors."

"Call me pipsqueak, again…" I muttered, glaring.

"Plus, the village folk over payed me!" The mercenary held up the bag of gald for us to see. "It'd be a stain on my professional pride if I didn't give 'em their money's worth."

Milla smiled, laughing a little as she said, "Very well. Good to have you back."

"Yeah," Jude followed after, "Nice of you to come along."

"Thank Ivar and the villagers, not me. So, what's the plan?"

I bent down in the sand as they talked the next few things over. I didn't need to know the plan since I already knew it. I stayed down there, drawing in the sand for a while before we decided to move, again. It was after we had to climb down the dreadful vines that monsters started to get more frequent. I didn't mind. After all, it gave me time to learn a little more about the Lilium orb. Apparently the mana from the monsters finds its way into the orb, letting us be able to look around more at the artes. I was definitely happy for this, because I learned to do something like a demon fang but with flames, and even got to try out Aqua Protection.

I named the new Demon Fang Demon _Flame_. Ha, I'm so proud of myself!

You can imagine that I began to experiment with them, of course. I mean, the monsters in this area were pretty laid back, after all. They didn't really pose too much of a threat when we encountered one. Now, the ones on the fields, they were a different story. Oh gosh.

"Hmm, I just realized I never had my breakfast." I heard Alvin say from in front of me.

I shuffled quickly through my bag, pulling out the wrapped food. "Here, I kept it just in case!" I held it up to him. He looked back, grinning.

"Wow, it's as if you knew Ivar would send me off with you guys."

Yeah… As if. As if I knew.

By the time the pink sand began to turn back into dirt, Hamil was in sight. It was only around noon, and I saw that as a good thing. That meant we might be able to have lunch with Elize once we get her to join us!

Wait… When we enter Hamil, we're going to see the true nature of the villagers.

* * *

**/\/\/\**

**And next chapter we'll no doubt get Elize! YES! Teepo fun time! Wait, Teepo fun time. Crap, I need to work on his personality...**

**ANYWAY, so is Maxwell behind this whole thing or is it something else that's working with Maxwell? Won't know until we have the whole party! Yeah!**

**Gosh, I really need to get to where I have OCMaren's new outfit come into play. It's already made up and everything!**


	14. 14 Meet the Puppeteer

**Well! This shall be my second time uploading this month! Wow, never had that happen, before. Anyway, this chapter there isn't really much to talk about other than a small change near the end, so yeah!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Xillia or else I probably would have pushed Alvin in the mud.**

* * *

We slowly closed the gap between us and the village, finally making it to where the cabin and forest were near. I didn't feel too mentally well when the commotion from the main part of Hamil reached our ears. The three characters gave each other curious glances before moving on. As we did, I slowly moved to the back.

"Get out of here!"

The rants became clear once we had gotten to see the commotion.

"This is all your fault, you evil brat!"

Each villager that was surrounding Elize was throwing as many rocks as they could. In the game, it showed none of them reaching her. But… I guess that's just because it was only graphics. The young girl had bruises and cuts, covering one eye as she bent over on the ground. The rocks were flying, each one hitting her at least enough to give a bruise.

"Stop it! Sticks and stone _can_ break bones, you know!" Teepo was flying around the villagers, trying to stop their throws. At least he wasn't just floating helplessly over by Elize. My brown eyes glanced at Jude, seeing how his eyes were wide. Then, they slowly filled with anger as he began to move forward. My foot slightly twitched. I wanted to follow, but those rocks were flying hard…

Jude grabbed a villager's arm that was about to throw a rock. That villager gave the most deadly glare I have ever seen; the others stopped to look over. I guess something pulled a trigger in me. When Elize looked up to see why the rocks stopped, my eyes met with hers. All I know is that once I saw that black eye, I was already in front of her, glaring back at the villagers. I don't know what came over me… I pushed two villagers down in order to get to this little girl?

I could feel her stare, I could feel my body start to tremble. Why… Why did I do that..?

However, I kept on a straight face, staying in front of the girl until Jude walked over. He bent down by Elize, and the villagers were gripping their stones.

"You! Do you have any idea what you people put us through?!" The mayor shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Jude and I. We each took the time to look around us at a few of the injured folks.

Milla folded her arms. "Is this Rashugal's doing?"

"They couldn't find us so they took it out on the village," Alvin stated, trying to show he didn't care, but I could see him clenching his fists.

The mayor stepped forward, her voice seeming to fill with anger after every word, "Leave this village at once! You outsiders are nothing but trouble!" All the villagers threw their last stones before departing back to treating the wounded or going into their houses.

Jude watched as the mayor slammed her door behind her and said, "It's like she was a completely different person."

"Stupid people always hide the way they truly are at first…" I mumbled.

"But these villagers aren't stupid! They're… They're kind… Right?" No one wanted to answer Jude. Instead, Milla walked over, her arms still folded as she looked like she didn't give a crap about the whole situation.

"We must find out Rashugal's activity in this town while we can." She stated, and my eyes averted to the ground as I heard Elize get up and run off. "Don't forget, we'll be leaving soon. It would be faster if we split."

"Got it, thank you." Jude nodded his head, and he quickly ran off. Milla's cold, magenta eyes landed on me.

"I… I'll go where Jude's going."

She nodded, starting her way towards a few villagers. Alvin began to follow, throwing his coat over my head.

"Depending on how close you get, you may want this," I heard him say before turning his back completely towards me. I pulled the jacket off my head, fixing my hair as I stared back at him. Does he… Know that I'm going with Jude to see Elize?

I quickly put it on, not wanting to go hear the villagers talk stupidity. My feet began to carry me towards the direction of the cabin Elize would be staying in. I jogged up the small hill, hopping up the steps, and turning the handle to the front door. Once I stepped in, my brown eyes wandered the area. Mumbling can be heard from downstairs, so I went to hear it more clearly. My hand opened the downstairs door.

"Wa-hey!"

"Wh-Whoa..!" Jude landed directly in front of me. I stared with wide eyes, turning around the corner only to see Elize holding Teepo close in her arms. I was in awe at the sight of the doll moving.

"Whoops! Clumsy little guy, aren't you?" The purple puppet seemed to grin.

"Dude, Tee- I mean, that friend of yours is really cool!" I smiled, stepping over Jude before he carefully got up.

Elize looked down, dodging eye contact. "Th-This is Teepo. He won't hurt you…"

"And this is Elly," Teepo said rather loudly, "But you should call her Elize! Nice to meet'cha!"

Jude just stared before laughing a little. "Ah, uh, nice to meet you, too. Err- Both of you." He brushed off the back of his jacket then looked at me. The young girl walked over, holding Teepo up to cover her mouth.

"Um… Are you okay..?" She asked.

"Yeah, I was just thrown for a loop." His hand went up to the back of his head. "My name's Jude."

"And I'm Maren." We introduced, and Elize took a second to look at the both of us. I also noticed some of the cuts she had earlier were gone.

Teepo's ears moved up and down. "Thanks for helping us earlier, Mary and Jude!"

"Mary..?" I repeated.

"Thank you." Elize smiled, looking up at us shyly. Then Jude bent over, his orange eyes growing soft.

"So… Can you tell us what happened? Is that okay?" I just stared as Teepo and Elize explained everything – answering Jude's questions. I couldn't look away from that black eye that she has. Who would do that to an innocent young girl..? Jerkies, that's who… Those villagers didn't think fairly. How they think it's Elize's fault just because she's an outsider…

"Friends..?" I heard Elize say and I focused my eyes on her. "…We don't have any."

"Well, you do now." Jude smiled, straightening his back.

"Yeah, we'll be your friends, and not let those meanies touch a single hair on your head." I grinned, placing my hands on my hips.

Her green eyes just stared, eventually putting everything together, and her cheeks blushed.

"Wa-hey! Jude and Mary are our pals!"

"So I _didn't_ hear that wrong the first time!" I glared at the little puppet as Elize smiled.

Then, Jude began to turn, looking back at Elize. "You don't mind if I tell our other friends about you, right?"

"Huh..?" She looked at him with a confused face. "Why?"

"The way of how the villagers treat you isn't a good thing. We don't like it." I folded my arms.

Jude nodded. "I want to see if there's anything we can do."

As we were about to go out the door, I motioned for Elize to follow us. After all, I know she doesn't want to stay down here. We each made our way up the stairs and out of the cabin. Elize walked slightly behind us. About halfway to where we were supposed to meet Milla, Elize grabbed hold of my hand. At first, I was startled. Won't she want to hold Jude's hand..? However, I just shook that thought off and held her hand back.

After about ten minutes, we made it to the front of the mayor's house where Alvin and Milla were waiting.

"Hey, there you are." Jude smiled, looking over at the two adults.

Alvin's eyes landed on Elize. "Oh, it's the doll girl!" I felt Elize's hand warm up a little, and I looked at her. Her cheeks were pink as she looked away from the mercenary.

"It's time to go," Milla stated, sounding a little frustrated, "We didn't find anything useful."

As she was about to leave the village, Jude stopped her, telling her how he wanted to talk about Elize. The spirit sighed, giving it some thought before turning around and nodding. The medical student motioned for Elize to go to a place where she wouldn't hear them, and I brought her to the hill that leads to a certain tree. Hey, she was going to go there anyway, right?

"Do you think your friends will like me..?" She asked, bending down to place Teepo on the ground.

"Well…" I thought, knowing that she will eventually be liked by everyone, "Yeah, I think so. I mean, as long as you don't push Alvin in the mud. Or, actually, I think everyone would like you even more if you did that."

"Why would I push him in the mud..?"

"Magic." I bent down, staring at the doll on the ground. Elize began to bounce Teepo like a small ball. Oh gosh, that looked fun. I wanna bounce Teepo. Mm, actually, I'll let her enjoy the entertainment herself. I should start a conversation, instead. After all, I doubt this kid gets any except from Teepo who only speaks her mind. "So," I began, and Elize glanced up, "What's your favorite color?"

Great question, Maren. You're so good at random topics…

"Oh, purple! It's my adorableness." Teepo blurted, seeming to smile. "Elly's changed. She likes blue instead."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"B-Because…" She hesitated, glancing back at Jude, "It's… Well…"

I grinned, letting myself sit on the ground. "Say no more. I get it."

"You… Do?"

"Elly has a crush!" Teepo hummed, and I just kept smiling as Elize blushed and closed Teepo's mouth. Aw, how cute. She likes Jude. Of course, I can already tell that throughout this journey, that crush is going to melt away. Trust me, I've been there. Liking someone who's older is kind of…weird. Though I still ship Jude and Milla. Even though they're five years apart and it's like me dating a college student. Yuck. When I put it like that…

Nah, still ship it.

Eventually, Jude ran over and told us the news.

"Milla says we can bring you along." He smiled and I did, too.

"Wah-hey! We're going on an adventure, Elly!" Teepo floated out of Elize's arms and danced around our heads. We each made our way back over to Alvin and Milla. After making sure we had enough supplies (the villagers didn't really give us much), we headed towards the exit of town. Before Elize was about to leave, she turned around and waved goodbye at the people. Most of them scoffed, the kids ignored her, and others just walked away. I glared at them as the young girl looked down.

"Hey…" Jude said softly, motioning for Elize to come along. "I'm sure they'll miss you." And we were finally on our way to the Sapstrath Seahaven. We'll have to spend a night there, huh. After all, it takes at least eight to nine hours to cross this freakin' field. I guess there is one bright side. I get to get new clothes! Whoot!

As we walked, Teepo had been floating around us for some time. I guess he was checking us out? Not in the flirty way, of course. Though, the puppet did seem to linger around Jude the most.

A skit I recognized happened. One where they talk about properly introducing Elize to the group and Milla getting confused about Teepo.

"Don't talk to strangers, Elly. Strangers are bad." Teepo commented about Alvin. I just snickered before going into my own world. Now we have Elize on our team. Next would be Rowen, but I'm guessing that's a couple days away. Maybe three. After all, we have to ride on a boat, cross a field, go through the forest, cross another field... Yeah, that's going to be fun.

Also, having Elize on the team is rather refreshing. She's not expecting me to say anything about who I really am. She's never been suspicious of me. It's nice. Though there would be something really wrong with me if I somehow got her to be like that. Let's hope I don't. Though, Rowen is very perceiving in the game. He might join the others on my back. Shoot. I do wonder what my relationship with him is going to be. I know he can treat a lady fairly well. Better than Alvin, even. He seems to get attached to Elize as a type of granddaughter in the game. Hmm… All I know is I do not want to get on his bad side.

When I looked up at the sky, I could see something circling us from above.

"Uh, guys..?" I began to speak, moving my hand slightly as if to get their attention. "Do you think that monster up there is going to swoop down and tackle us?"

"I see you've noticed it, as well." Alvin commented, pulling out his gun. "Should we call it down here?"

"It would take us longer to get to the Seahaven." Milla interjected.

"Oh, come on! It might be fun."

"You can. But I will not stay behind to fight with you." And the spirit walked onward.

However, the monster above became restless and speeded towards us. More specifically Milla, actually.

"Milla, look out!" Jude shouted, equipping his gauntlets on as he charged. The spirit turned, unsheathing her sword as she shot a wind blade. Elize was about to join, but Alvin shook his head.

"Sorry little lady, but stay back. This is dangerous." And he charged as well. I stood back, hesitating, looking at Elize, hand hovering over the hilt of my sword. I wanted to help. I need to get use to monsters. But I can't just leave Elize all by herself!

Teepo pouted. "But we want'a help, too!"

We stood back, watching as Alvin would shoot at the monster's wings to keep it out of the air. When it was on the ground, Jude would trip its feet, and Milla would cast splash to keep it down. That way Alvin could just raise his sword and cut off its head. When Jude waved us over, we assumed it was done.

Elize and I looked at the corpse with disgust.

"Did you really have to cut off its head?" I gagged, glaring at the mercenary.

"Hey, it did the job quick, right? After all, Lord Maxwell doesn't want her mission to go short."

Milla just stared at the Alvin with an unreadable expression before turning. "We must move onward."

"Hold up, wise spirit." The brunette held up his hand as he bent down to the corpse. "We should gather a few of this thing's feathers. Sell them at a market."

"Good idea." Jude nodded, bending down as well. "That way, we'll be able to afford a couple rooms at the inn."

I covered my mouth before turning towards Milla. "Yeah, you guys have fun. There is no way I'm touching that dead thing."

"You'll make the monster naked!" Teepo blurted, seeming to shiver.

"Better a naked monster than sleeping on the ground, right?" Alvin grinned.

* * *

We had finally reached the Aladi Seahaven, and the sun was just behind the buildings. Alvin went to go see what ships we could take tomorrow while I went to go check out a clothes market. Elize followed me, along with Milla. They wanted to see what shopping was like. I kind of wanted to shove them away because I knew Driselle would want to shop with them later in the week, but I decided not to argue against it.

"You are looking for clothing to replace what you are wearing now, right?" Milla asked, looking at the clothes that were hanging up in the closet the merchant had.

I shook my head. "I will be bringing these clothes along with me. In case my new ones get wet or something."

"Wow, Mary's thought of smart stuff!" Teepo hummed, and floated around my head. It was funny how the merchant couldn't keep her eyes off the puppet.

Eventually, I told Milla and Elize to pick out a few things, since I can't really decide. The two nodded, and I was surprised with what they got. How did I not see these things earlier? There seemed to be a few things like Milla's clothes, which she chose for me. And Elize picked out a couple dresses that she thought would be cute. Jude walked over and Teepo made him choose something out. He was flustered, but found a pair of boots that kind of matched my belt. When Alvin came over he suggested for me to get something like gloves so I don't have my sword slipping out of my hands.

After a while of picking through the stuff Elize and Teepo kept adding on, I finally decided, and Alvin volunteered to pay for me.

"You're paying for an entire outfit. Are you sure..?" I asked, looking at him with unease. "I don't want to be expensive."

"I have my reasons. Plus, I'm going to have this person sew up and clean that outfit you have on right now."

Jude smiled. "You do care."

"I'm not heartless like you guys make it to be."

"Yeah, but you're a pretty scary dude." Teepo commented, and Elize just smiled. I knew what Alvin's reason was. It was part of his job that he got from Gaius to get me new clothes so I don't stand out.

After the whole shopping thing, we made our way to the inn. Alvin told us how we'll have to get up early tomorrow in order to catch a boat going to Sapstrath. From there, we'll make our way to Sharilton. Elize and Teepo were very excited to get on the boat. They were completely restless. I could hear Teepo going on and on about the ocean as I was changing in the closet of our room. I think I caught him talking about there always being rainbows above it and how he bet there would be tons of butterflies popping out of the water. Oh gosh, Elize, what goes through your mind?

Finally, I walked out in my new clothes, looking at myself in the mirror. It was slightly...refreshing. I had on a kind of dress where it would start out as a strong blue on the top and slowly fade to white as it went down. There were green markings all over, and I had on a type of jumpsuit underneath to keep me modest. Hey, I don't feel comfortable showing my thighs. The shoulders are covered simply because I don't want more acne to be seen.

I had on knee-high boots, fingerless brown gloves, and my belt, as well.

"You look so cute!" Elize smiled, clapping a little as Teepo cheered. Milla nodded, agreeing with Elize as she looked me up and down.

"Yes, I believe those clothes are better for travelling than those last ones."

"Still keeping them, though," I pointed out and picked up my old clothes. "I should get these taken care of," When I walked out, I was met by Jude. Immediately, a smile spread on my face. "Oh, Jude! Look, you're not sneezing!"

Except he did sneeze and pointed at the clothes I was carrying.

"Oh, right."

"Though it's good you're wearing clean ones." He sniffled, smiling a little. "Were you going to go give those clothes to the- ACHOO- the merchant?" I nodded and began walking down the stairs to the main room of the inn.

"Yeah. What? You want to come with?"

"Only to see if you'd be okay. It is night, and I saw a couple drunk Rashugal soldiers when I was looking at the map."

"Oh, they left a couple here, huh? That's… Dangerous," I replied and we both walked out, making our way to the markets. As we walked, I could sense Jude's gaze on the docks. I looked up at him, seeing a slightly concerned expression. "Are you worried about Fennmont?"

He jumped slightly, looking at me with a surprised face before shaking his head. "N-No, not Fennmont… Sharilton. That's where Alvin said it would be best for us to go. I've never been there, before, but it's on Rashugal territory. We'll be in danger there."

"True…" I looked away and reached where the female merchant worked. She looked up from packing her stuff and smiled, taking the clothes I had. She said she would have them ready before our boat left, and that was a good thing.

However, she then disappeared behind the counter, and Jude and I asked what was wrong to hide like that. It was definitely random, and it kind of worried us. We asked again what was wrong.

Our question was answered when strong pairs of hands grabbed our arms.

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**Yaaaaayyyy OCMaren has new clothes! You can find her design on my Facebook account or my Deviant. Which I know the address on that one chapter only came out as .com which I should have been a little more smart. Deviantart one is Legendia and mewnia (no spaces. I did that so you could concentrate better.) A long name, I know.**

**And will OCMaren and Jude be safe in the next chapter? Muahahaha...**


	15. 15 Who Are You? It's All My Fault

**What's this? What's this? New chapter's here, today! **

**It is the wonderful season of CHRISTMAS! Yes, I was one of those few who waited until after Thanksgiving to start celebrating. I'm sure I'll be able to get two or more chapters uploaded this month because in Utah we get at least two weeks off school around the middle of the month. Hopefully this chapter is longer than it seems. It's in its 4,000's and was at least eight or nine pages on Word. Let's see!**

**Also SHOUTOUT to _Iseiya_ for her awesome self-insert story of Tales of Xillia! _Forget-Me-Not_! It's really good. Seriously, I wait impatiently for the next chapter. **

**DISCLAIMER: I only own the characters that are not mentioned in Xillia. Or... The reference that's a reference of something I do not also own.**

**()()()()**

Jude and I struggled, the hands gripping our arms tight.

"What's going on?!" Jude shouted as the guards began dragging us towards the docks.

My eyes widened. "Wait, don't! Let us go!" I was nearly trembling with fear that the whole storyline will be messed up by now. "We can't be taken there! You'll mess things up!"

"Let us go! Milla! Alv-" Jude tried to shout out everyone's name, but the guard that had hold on him covered his mouth. I was about to scream in order to get someone's attention, but the one holding me did the same.

"We are Rashugal Soldiers. You're under arrest." One of them said as we passed the gates to the boats. My legs became weak, already giving in to the inevitable. Jude was still struggling until he saw the boat and began to give up, looking back at the inn with a panicked gaze. We were dragged up the ramp and thrown into one of the cabins. I landed on the major wound on my back which made me freeze in shock as the guards locked the door, staying outside.

When I came to my senses I looked over at Jude.

He was unconscious.

I sat up, even more panicked than before, and started shaking him. "Jude! Jude wake up!" I shouted over and over until I noticed how his head was close to the leg of a table. Ohgoshohgoshohgoshohgosh. He might have a concussion or might be bleeding or dying or-

"Holy cheese I don't know how to take care of an unconscious person." I muttered with wide eyes as my fingers felt around the back of the medical student's head. I couldn't feel anything, but I couldn't see too clearly either. I hesitated, looking at the bed near us and struggled to lift him up. Hopefully I wouldn't make anything worse by doing this. Of course there was a good chance of me dropping him, too. I can barely get him up three inches off the floor.

As I struggled to carry him to the bed, I felt the wound on my back throb. It sent a slight shock up my spine and I nearly dropped the teen. I took in a deep breath and managed to get him on the cushion after a lot of struggling. I sat on the edge, feeling as much of my back that I could and sighed.

The storyline has to be messed up by now.

I heard the horn of the boat as I felt it move. Immediately, I stood up to run over to the window, ignoring my back's pain. We were leaving the dock. I wanted to scream. I wanted to get Milla's, Alvin's, or even Elize's attention, but I was afraid. My body began trembling again, and I fell to the floor feeling something burning at the corners of my eyes. My throat felt sore as I wanted to cry. If I wasn't brought here then Jude wouldn't have gone with me to take the clothes to the merchant… Then everything would go the way it should. Oh gosh, this is my fault. This is all my fault!

I laid there against the wall as I felt the tears roll down my cheeks. All I could hear was the rolling waves and Jude's soft breathing. At least I know he wasn't officially dying. About fifteen minutes passed until my eyes slowly started to close. I shuffled into a more comfortable position as I let the waves lull me to sleep. The sleep was dreamless. Everything was black no matter how much I tried to make something appear. I heard voices, but I still couldn't see anything. It bothered me as I twisted and turned.

* * *

"Hey… Wake up."

"Mhn…" My brown eyes slowly opened as I looked around. My vision was blurry, and I saw a figure before me. I recognized it to be Jude until my vision finally focused. It was a girl. She had long, black hair tied in a braid in the back. Her eyes were a goldish brown with two beauty marks on her left cheek. She was wearing familiar clothing that I couldn't quite point out at the time since my mind was slow.

I struggled to speak, but she immediately quieted me down and pointed at an unconscious, half naked man in the corner. My eyes widened and finally realized she was wearing Rashugal armor. Her hand reached out to help me sit up.

"You two are criminals, right? Maybe you could help me turn this ship around and get something back to a couple friends of mine." The girl whispered with a small smile as she stood, walking over to Jude. "Your friend here had a small cut on the back of his head, but I fixed it up." My brown eyes noticed the faint, white bandage wrapped around the top of Jude's head.

Oh gosh, she has to be an angel.

"Who… Who are you..?" I slowly lifted myself off the ground, wincing from the shock in my spine.

"Elsa. Elsa Nargoli. I'm a… Pirate."

_Do you wanna build a snowman?_

Stupid Maren, don't think that or else you'll have that song go through your head every time you see this person.

"Why are you… How did you..?"

"I'll explain if you help me turn this boat around. We're about four hours away from the seahaven, but it's only one in the morning." She grinned, sitting on the edge of Jude's bed. I stared at her, letting things whirl around in my head. I'm so confused. It seems as if this is going my way. I'm not sure if that's a good thing to others, but it's a freakin' life saver to me! Oh gosh, maybe now the story won't be different! If the boat turns around now, we'll get back around five in the morning and still have an hour to catch up on rest. Then we'll go on the boat to Sapstrath and still have time to sleep.

But wait, she said she was a pirate.

"You…" I began to say, "…won't turn on us, will you?"

"Nah, why would I? I need to help my friends."

"Your friends?"

Elsa nodded but put her finger up to her mouth, looking at the closed door. There were metallic footsteps coming from outside.

The voice was muffled but said, "John? Where'd you go? I got your sandwich." I shook, looking at the guy in the corner. That must have been John…

"Coming, Gabe!" Elsa deepened her voice, putting on the helmet and standing. She had to be experienced or something. She's a pirate, so maybe she does this often?

She went out, closing the door behind her as I only got a glance of what was in her hand. All I heard were muffles. Their helmets must have still been on and Elsa could be in the way of Gabe's sound waves. I crept over to the door after staring at Jude for a couple seconds. When I put my ear up to it, there was a slight choke from outside and then a loud thud. Next thing I knew, the door flung open, hitting the side of my head as I fell back to the ground.

"Ah, sorry about that." The pirate took off the helmet and smiled. She then walked over to a pile of clothes on the table Jude hit his head on earlier. I laid down, letting my vision grow still from the impact. After a couple minutes, Elsa walked back over and helped me up. "Now, we need to get the person who's in charge of this ship." She whispered, looking at Jude before going out. My brown eyes glanced with concern back at the medical student. He was starting to toss and turn, and I felt relieved to see it.

My feet carried me outside to Elsa who had changed clothes.

She wore a brown coat with pale blue markings on the sleeves. Black lines went down the front and side of the coat. On her back was a pretty big bag possibly filled with survivor items. Her torso had armor wrapped around it, along with her boots. Every edge that my eyes landed on had tan fleece.

"Ready?" She smiled a cocky grin as she pointed at the large cabin in front of us. "I'll go in there. You guard the door from the outside. Though, you should also throw this in as I enter." Her black gloved hand held up a spherical ball with a flame at the top.

My eyes widened. "Is that a bomb..?!"

"Psh…" She waved her hand. "It's only a smoke bomb. . . For now."

"For now?!"

Elsa laughed, turning towards the door after putting the bomb in my hand. "You're really panicked right now. It's amusing." I just huffed, slowly following her as I wondered if helping Elsa is a good decision. When she roughly opened the door, I immediately threw the ball into the room and heard it start spewing out smoke. When the pirate pulled up her turtle neck over her nose and mouth, I started feeling a little…scared.

She pushed me away from the door, holding a finger up to (I guess) her mouth. She closed the door, and I could see the smoke spewing slowly out of the roof of the cabin. It doesn't look like it'll come down to the dock.

"Maren!" A voice shouted from behind me, and I turned around to meet amber eyes. Jude was running over from the cabin we were forced in, seeming to ignore the pain from his head. When he reached me, he had to catch his breath before quickly saying, "The two guards who took us… They're dead!"

"They're… What..? But I thought she only knocked them unconscious." I replied, confusion clear in my voice. "There weren't any wounds on them."

The medical student held up what appeared to be a sandwich with only one bite taken out of it. "…Poison." He muttered, and immediately our heads snapped up to the cloud of smoke that was trailing away from the boat. "That must also be-"

"Ah, he's awake." Elsa walked out of the cabin, pulling the cloth away from her mouth and smiled. It was when she had her left arm showing in the moonlight that I felt my heart skip a beat. There was a yellow armband with black markings. A scene flashed through my mind of a side quest in Milla's story.

That band represents Exodus.

Jude hid the sandwich behind his back, looking at the girl before us. She was smiling sweetly as we both felt fear well up inside us.

The pirate walked past us and to the edge of the boat. "Hm, I think now would be a good time to answer your questions."

Taking a deep breath, I asked her rather loudly. "Who are you?"

"I'm a mercenary!" Elsa replied immediately but that didn't fool me.

"You said you were a pirate."

Her smile dropped. "Oh… I did?"

"Who are you?"

"Oh, look, your friend's holding Gabe's sandwich. Don't eat that, you could die." Elsa dodged the question, looking at Jude. Oh gosh, she totally just ignored me right there. She's from exodus, so it's dangerous to be with her… Right?

After a couple awkward sentences, hesitantly giving her our names, and being informed of when we'd return to the seahaven, I asked again.

"Elsa… Who are you?"

She glared. "You're getting on my nerves."

I shrunk, feeling timid as I lowered my head. "It's just… That armband…"

"…You know of it?"

"Maren, does it mean something?" Jude looked at me with confused eyes as I shook my head a little. She might trust me a little more, now. I think it's safe to be with her until we get back. After all, she said she just wanted to get something back for her friends. Unless that was a lie, too.

I faced Jude, looking up at the bandage wrapped around his head.

"How's your injury..?"

"Huh?" He blinked a couple times before rubbing the back of his head. "It's… Doing fine. I've healed myself a little, but the spirits aren't doing too well with artes. What about you? Were you hurt at all?"

I replied with a no as I looked down at my clothes. It was a little chilly out here in the ocean. The bare part of my arms are numb while my legs and face only have little feeling. After a couple minutes of awkward silence, Jude went to go look around the boat. Possibly to get his mind off the idea that we were so close to being arrested. Since I was really tired, I made my way back to the cabin.

However, my eyes glanced at the body that was against the wall. The guard's face, his features… They could be perfectly seen in the moonlight. His voice from earlier echoed through my head. If what Jude suspected to be poison was really in that sandwich, then… Are these two men…

_**Dead?**_

At the thought, I covered my mouth, feeling my legs starting to tremble for the third or fourth time tonight. That gas earlier… Was that poison gas? Did I actually help someone murder an innocent victim?!

I felt tears trying to show, and I darted towards the bed – ignoring the body in the corner of the room as best I could. This whole thing, all of this. The arrest, the murders, the storyline… It's all happening because of me, because I was for some reason brought into this world. Why? Why me? Why at this time while the journey is taking place? It's all my fault, I shouldn't be here!

"Hey…" A familiar voice came from the door and footsteps got closer to me. "…You know of Exodus?"

My head snapped towards the figure, seeing Elsa making herself comfortable against the bed. Her gaze was on the body in the dark corner. I didn't dare glace over there. I was too scared.

"Are you a part of it or something?" The member continued to speak as I curled up with my back facing her. "Or are you against it?"

"…I'm only against using spyrix to kill spirits… Or trapping Reize Maxians in this world just for their mana." I muttered, burying my head into my arms.

"Then I guess we're on a good page." She mentioned and I could feel her gaze on my back. "Is this your first time seeing a dead body?" My only answer was a slight choked sound. I didn't want to start crying in front of a person I barely knew. But she just kept speaking, "It's hard, isn't it? I fear that my friends might end up like that someday. What with the spirit Maxwell still on Exodus' trail. I like to think that I relieved these people from possible trouble that would occur in the future. You know, if Exodus' plan actually happens. I almost want someone to keep it from happening."

"…But you want to see your home." I spoke, thinking about me being away from home and family for only a few days. But Elsa, Alvin, and many others have been in a situation like this for twenty years. I can't possibly imagine what that must be like. The longing for home, for a hug or anything from someone you love… "Must be hard…" But everything will play out, I'm sure of it.

Elsa just chuckled a little, pulling out a bottle of water from her bag and taking a sip. "You should sleep. Let the things process. We'll reach the seahaven in four hours."

I laid my head down, hearing the water in the member's bottle swish around. Again, I let the waves of the ocean lull me to sleep; and again, it was dreamless.

* * *

My eyes shot open as I felt a cold hand on my back. It was in the sensible area; the area of my wound. When I looked over at who could have touched there, I saw Elsa. She noticed I was awake and smiled a little.

"Sorry… I guess an ice pack wasn't a good idea." She whispered quietly, taking the cold away. "Your friend, uh… Jude said you had a major wound on your back." Her gloved hand pointed at the sleeping medical student who was on the floor. "He was using those fancy spirit artes to heal you, but fell asleep in the middle of it."

When I sat up, the back of my lower torso area was bare and the blue covering was folded at the edge of the bed. "Did you undress me..?" I asked in a weirded out tone.

"Huh? Well, not completely, of course. I just unbuttoned the back of that jumpsuit thing of yours." She replied, sitting down on the foot of the bed. It went silent as we just sat there. The waves of the ocean was the only thing that we could hear besides Jude's calm breathing. My eyes hesitantly glanced at the corner, but there was no body there. Maybe she took care of them.

Then, my gaze went back to Elsa. Her golden brown eyes were dreaming out the window, hands playing with her long braid. The yellow band on her arm glowed in the light. For a few seconds, she looked as though she wasn't an Exodus member. She was just a normal girl on this boat who happened to have good skills.

"So…" I began, swinging back and forth a little, "How much longer until we get back?"

"About thirty minutes."

It went silent, again.

I took a deep breath, wanting to keep a conversation. My eyes are wide awake, now. I won't be able to go back to sleep for a long time. When I went to ask Elsa a question, she interrupted me.

"You wouldn't mind if… I saw you as a friend. Would you?" She asked, looking into my eyes of shock. That was the same question I was going to ask her. Whoa, we're already in sync or something!

"O-Of course!" I smiled, straightening my back. Jude moved his position a little on the floor and I flinched. Crap, I should probably be quiet. I cleared my throat to continue, "I mean… Yeah, sure. It's probably weird befriending someone who killed people in front of you… But you saved us, technically. So yes."

The member smiled, taking my hands in hers.

"That's great. I've never had a friend so much younger than me, but I like the idea. How did I not meet you when Exodus first formed?"

"Oh, well…" My hands moved awkwardly in hers. "It might sound crazy or even insane, but… I'm not from Elympios. Not even Reize Maxia." The member's face grew confused, and I laughed a little. "I'm from a world called Earth. We don't have any mana supply at all, and yet we still survive."

"…Wow. If I wasn't from outside of Reize Maxia I'd think you were insane." Elsa smiled, letting go of my hands. "But without mana? Plus, how do you know of Exodus, then?"

"Our world has been living without mana since the day it was created. Weird to think for you, I know…" I replied and hugged my legs close to my chest. "And let's just say I've already ran into someone like you."

We actually did a lot of conversation topics from there. We had moved Jude onto the bed for the last remaining thirty minutes while Elsa and I went outside the cabin. We talked about the other friends we had, shared silly stories, and even asked each other what the other's world was like. I felt relieved when I could talk about Earth. She didn't think I was crazy, and I didn't think she was crazy. Most of all, I made a friend that's not a part of the Xillia main cast. That, right there, definitely showed me that none of this was a game.

Eventually the time came when the boat made it back to the Aladi Seahaven. Jude woke up in time to help Elsa carry a couple barrels of something off the boat. I was too weak to help, so I just kept an eye out for any more Rashugal soldiers. When the Exodus member loaded the barrels onto a carriage of hers, she bid us farewell.

"Maybe we'll meet again, someday." She smiled and made her way out of the seahaven. Jude and I looked at each other with relieved expressions as we declared the delivery of clothes to the marketer complete. When we had reached the inn, we were surprised to be greeted by everyone in the main room. I guess they were worried about us.

Alvin was the first to question where we'd been. "You two finally being a couple or something?" He grinned and I stomped hard on his foot. Elize was close to falling asleep, but she still gave us a 'welcome back' and hugged us both.

"You gave us a scare…" She smiled a little, yawning after finishing her sentence.

"You made us stay up late!" Teepo complained, mimicking Elize's yawn.

When Milla approached us, there was an obvious cold feeling in her gaze. However, she turned towards the stairs. "You're lucky you're safe." She said before making her way back to the rooms. Everyone watched with amusement as we each said our goodnights.

I led Elize and Teepo back to the room, trying not to let the poor girl fall on the floor from exhaustion. I could only hear the conversation Jude and Alvin began to have before I closed the room door. When my eyes looked around the room, I sighed with relief.

Finally, back to where we should be.

**()()()()**

**Elsa's design is on Facebook or Deviantart for those of you who haven't checked those places out, yet! She's one of my most proud characters. And trust me, we WILL see her, again. Muahahaha... I also fangirled as I wrote the parts where OCMaren could finally get close to Jude. Oh gosh.**

**So! Please review and tell me how you think this chapter went! And remember to give instead of get during this holiday season!**


	16. 16 Older Sibling Attitude

**... I'm not happy with this chapter. YAY!**

**Anyway, sad of how I said I would post more over the two-week break, but... I didn't. It's a long explanation, but story short I got braces; had to study for Learner's Permit test; got braces; Christmas day; got addicted to Tales of Zestiria for the longest time; and... Writers block. I also failed the test I studied for due to paranoia while taking it, and questions that you'd have to memorize straight out of the book. I have to study more...**

**So I've uploaded this as soon as I could. Please don't kill me. It may suck with grammar.**

**DISCLAIMER: OCMaren is mine. Nothing else is mine. I only own her. That's it. That'll all. Unicorns.**

* * *

"Wow!" Elize and Teepo ran to the edge of the dock, gazing out at the ocean. Their eyes were wide with amazement as Jude and I followed behind. The small girl noticed and blushed slightly. "I-I've never seen the sea, before…"

"It's impressive, huh?" Jude smiled, seeming to be joyful that Elize is happy.

I just stared at the blue mass around us. "…It's one giant puddle filled with fish droppings and carcasses."

Elize immediately calmed down as Teepo bonked me on the head. "You ruined the moment, Mary!"

"H-Hey! It's just how I see it!" I argued, rubbing the top of my head. Jude laughed nervously as he walked back over to Milla and Alvin. I stayed by Elize simply because I didn't really want to hear too many lines from the game. I looked at the little blonde, and her attention was already back on the sea. Every now and then, she'd even look up at the Night-Clime sky. I leaned against the railing next to her, hearing mumbles from the others behind us.

The sound of the waves below reminded me of last night. Or, technically this morning. Sure, I made a new friend with someone who has the same name of a Disney queen, but… The two dead guards on the ship scared me. Even whoever was in that cabin with the smoke bomb. I was on the same ship as three people who lost their lives. What if each of them had a wife? Or a child? Or brother or sister? Their families will never hear their voices, again. A parent will have to bury their child.

"Eek!" A small shriek came from beside me as a wave of water splashed over Elize and me. My eyes widened from the sudden contact with water, and everyone behind us turned to see what the scream was.

Elize was laughing, "Teepo, look!" She grabbed the sides of her dress and twirled, sprinkling bits of water everywhere.

"Wa-Hey! Check out that water! You'd die if you fell in!" Teepo cheered, swirling around the girl. Meanwhile, I was trying to get my new clothes dry. Maybe I should have Milla use wind blade. Ew, ew, ew! Fish droppings all over me…

Elize began trying to dry off Teepo with a big smile. Teepo would not stop talking about how cold the water was, how the sky was so green, or how being on a ship was so fun. Is this what a child should act like when it's their first time on a boat? I remember that I didn't really care my first time.

"…I bet she'd kick a puppy if it got in the way of her mission." I heard Alvin say and I walked over to the two boys who were starting to do their part of a conversation.

"She's not that cold-blooded." Jude rolled his eyes.

I shook my head slightly, looking back at the spirit who was being approached by Elize. "Nah," I said, "I can actually see that happening."

"See? Even Maren, who's been around Milla as long as you, can see it." The mercenary grinned as he wrapped his arms around both mine and Jude's shoulders. Oh great, don't tell me he's going to do this to me all the time, too. "Speaking of missions, I hear you three had a tough time at the lab in Fennmont."

"Did Milla tell you about it?" Jude gave up on trying to keep Alvin from this movement, and you could tell by the sound of his voice. He's accepted his fate. However, since I don't remember this conversation as much (because it's been a while since I played Jude's side) I noticed how Alvin avoided Jude's question.

"She must've swiped something big from there, huh, kid? Some juicy national secret that got the army all riled up?" He patted our backs slightly, which disturbed me.

"You didn't answer whether Milla told you or not." I bonked my head against the mercenary's shoulder.

Again, he avoided it. "Think you know what it is?"

The medical student shook his head as he tried to straighten his posture. "I don't know. You'd have to ask her."

"Is the question about whether Milla told you or not invisible?"

"Don't worry, kid. I'll find out eventually." Alvin's attention was purposely pushing me out. "Why don't you tell me right here and now? It'll be our little secret." Okay that both sounded evil and… uh… Let's just say 'Juvin' is blossoming.

"I'm sorry." Jude replied, pulling away from the man's grip, "I really don't know."

I saw a slight glare in Alvin's focus on Jude. But then his gaze landed on me. "What about you, short stack?"

"A unicorn." I stated, ducking my head under his arm as a way to also get out of his grip. "What makes you think that if Jude doesn't know then I somehow know?" The glare was now more visible in Alvin's eyes. And more... Powerful? It was like he knew that I knew what it was, and he wants me to know that.

So many knew's and know's…

Alvin was silent for a couple seconds before reaching up and rubbing the back of his head. "Wow, I guess she really doesn't trust us."

"That's not true!" Jude and I both said at the same time, probably both having different reasons.

Jude cleared his throat as a slight brush of pink was faint on his cheeks. "…Wait here, I'll go ask her."

"No, no. If you don't know then don't bother." The brunette said, turning his back to us. There was slight annoyance in his voice. That also disturbed me. I really hope that thought I have of his gun up to my head won't come true. But it seemed he knew he sounded annoyed. His gaze looked at us both, now softer than before. "Really, don't bother. I'm not trying to give you a hard time. Besides, I doubt the Great Spirit Maxwell will like the fact I'm poking my nose in her business. So… Don't tell her I asked."

"Okay, got it." Jude nodded slightly. I just looked over at Milla and Elize to distract myself from the mercenary. I know he's a good man. I know he has good intentions deep down. Don't find any urge to punch him, Maren. That's not good. Violence isn't the answer. You're weak anyway.

I've gotten used to the fact that the boat rides will always be longer than cutscenes. I mean, the horn of the boat was supposed to go off right here. At least, in the game. Now it's two hours away. I wonder what we're all going to do until then. Maybe hide-n-seek? Nah, there aren't many places on the boat. Tag would be fun until Teepo starts flying to impossible heights. Ugh, I wish I had some paper and a pencil. I could draw these guys and get rid of my sudden boredom. Or maybe… I could do something from the second game. Should I? Like that one skit where Elle just suddenly brings up that word game.

"Jude!" I shouted, running over to his side. "Say a random word!"

"Huh? Wh-Why?" The teen looked over with a confused stare.

"Just do it! I'm bored."

"Okay, well, uh… Lobster..?"

"Lobster, lobster…" I folded my arms as I thought. The others were about as confused as Jude was when I finally blurted out, "Strength! Lobstrength! Alvin, add on."

"Huh? Why me?"

"You're part of the family." I grinned.

"Part of the family? Don't flatter me." He grinned, rubbing his chin as he thought. "Lobstrength, huh? Let's see… Hello. Hellobstrength."

"Ah, I see, now." Milla smiled. "Shell. Shellobstrength."

"Oh!" Elize blushed a little as she added on another. "Th-Thorn! Shellob..strength…orn!"

I laughed at how she had to slowly sound out the word. I then looked at Jude. "Your turn!"

"Wait, what about meeee?" Teepo pouted, bouncing up and down. We all smiled with amusement, letting the puppet do its turn. "Fish! Fishellobstrengthorn!"

"_Now_ it's Jude." Alvin patted the medical student's shoulder as he was trying to put the word together.

"Fishellobstrengthorn… Uh… Ah… AH… ACHOO!" He sneezed, giving us each a startled position. When I looked around I saw a couple cats now at our feet.

"Kitty!" Teepo yelled, charging down at the feline and rubbing against it.

"Cats?" Alvin asked, combing his hand through his hair. "Why are there always cats on the boat?"

Alvin and I managed to sweep the cats away, and we continued the word game for a while. Except we eventually got tired of Jude constantly messing up when the word would get too long. I guess he never really got the idea of it in the first place. We all began to do our own thing as we waited for the workers to start handing out food in the main cabin. Elize stayed by the water with Jude; Milla was meditating on a crate, but you could tell it was getting harder for her; and Alvin was taking a small stroll around the boat. Me? Ah, well, I was bored out of my mind – sitting against a wall while trying to balance a plank of wood I found. Every now and then I'd start humming a tune, and then I would hear Teepo repeat it seconds later. It was a weird thing to know that Teepo was just projecting Elize's thoughts. She must really like the tunes I bring up.

An hour passed really slowly. The plank I had now split in two and I began using them as drum sticks. Alvin gave us all food that the workers were finally handing out and he'd give me a weird look every few seconds. I suppose he was wondering why I was acting different (musically) than Reize Maxians usually do. Meh, I'm bored. Deal with it.

It really was a dreadful three hours. Not much to do the more I thought about drawing. More and more ideas, more and more punches in the face. Mentally, of course.

As we walked off the boat, I literally tried to block out the conversations that were starting. Seriously, no mo' game scripts plz. So, I went and sat at a bench to watch the group from afar. They won't leave immediately like in the game. I know that. We need to stock up on supplies, after all. Need better tents because I don't think it was Alvin who took them down back in Nia Khera.

As I sat there, I guess Jude did his whole admission that he was going to lend Elize to someone. I could tell because Elize began crying. My hands flinched, wanting to go over and hug her. But what if she doesn't want to be hugged? Gosh darn it, I never really know what I should do when it comes to mental pain. I did have to get up from the bench when we all had to set out for supplies. I was looking in our travelling bag as the other three found the wanted posters.

"Our little Jude's becoming a man." Alvin grinned as the Medical student blushed a deep red. Jude had just finished complimenting Milla on her curves. Oh how fun it was to listen to the conversation. However, something different happened that I think was meant to bug me.

Alvin's hands went behind his head. "And Maren?"

My head popped up immediately as a giant, dumbfounded expression took over my face. Jude's cheeks stayed red.

"Stop making me describe people..!" He retorted, and I nodded in agreement.

"Hmm…" Milla folded her arms. "She definitely has personality swings. I had read somewhere that it's a rare mental case."

…Okay, the butterflies in my stomach have died. Painfully.

"Personality swings?" Elize tilted her head.

The blush seemed to calm from Jude as he now got in his teaching mode. "Yeah, I guess that's kind of true." He looked at Elize. "Maren tends to switch between being somewhat like you, Elize, to kind of like Teepo."

"Please don't make me feel any less of myself…" I muttered, tying back up the supply bag. I don't think I actually have that. Never been told about it.

Alvin just laughed as we each separated to gather needed items. He said it would only take a single night to cross to Sharilton. I took a chance to suggest a second pair of food supplies "because we never know if something goes wrong and it'll take longer." It really will take longer. With how big the forest is in the game, it has to be twice the size here. Man, it's going to be bothersome. Hopefully when we fight Jiao we won't break any limbs on trees.

I shivered at the thought of a broken arm. I've already broken my thigh bone. Isn't that pain enough?

A couple of the townsfolk, even the merchants, would give us skeptic glances. Mostly Milla. Except they were from girls. I could see the guys oogling her, instead.

Jude looked at the men uneasily, glancing at Milla to see if she noticed. "Do you think… They're looking at her body..?" He whispered to me and I shrugged.

"Can't tell. If they were, Milla would definitely notice, right? She has innocence. She's not quite familiar with how a man, particularly humans in general, work." I replied, and had to hold back a laugh when Jude obviously got more protective over the spirit. He stood closer to her, starting a conversation with her. Some of the men's gazes gave up.

"Ah, the innocence of teenagers." Alvin hummed, seeming to fall in step with me. I looked up at him as I stopped at the food stand. "Think you can pay for me? My hands are kind of full."

"You liar. I'm the one carrying the supply bag for today." I rolled my eyes. As my hand hovered over ingredients, Alvin took the bag from the other.

He grinned. "Not anymore."

Okay… Why's he doing this? He obviously wants me to pay for the food.

After I gathered the needed stuff, the merchant smiled. "That'll be 2,158 gald." So $21.58. Man, that's honestly cheap for what I got.

Alvin placed some money in my hand. "Go on, give her the right amount." As I looked down at the gald, my body froze. Shoot. I forgot that the money here is way different. How do I count this? There's no paper money. It's all just coins! It clicked in my head what Alvin was trying to do. He didn't buy my story of my brother. At least, not it about before we met. He's been slightly suspicious ever since camp night in the Spiritway. Oh no, what do I do? What if I give the merchant the wrong amount? Alvin would get more suspicious. Then again, I could just bring up the point that my brother did everything for me. But what if that back fires?

I took the chance. Either the merchant would say I need more or give me change. I handed over the amount of gald the mercenary had given me.

… The merchant didn't say anything. Except, when they finished counting it, they put it in a bag under the counter.

"Just the right amount! Thank you for your business!" Then they bowed. At first, I was shocked, but then forced myself to play it cool. My brown eyes glared up at the mercenary as he got rid of his look of surprise at the last second.

"Did you think I couldn't do simple stuff?" My hand went on my hip. He just scoffed and apologized.

"I just thought it weird how you seemed to read a book perfectly fine in Hamil but could barely read the breakfast menu this morning." His back turned towards me as he began his way over to the others. My jaw slightly dropped. He remembered I was reading a book all the way back in Hamil? I'm surprised that was actually convincing. I was just scanning the unknown writing. And the menu this morning… I was half asleep, but I remember the scene more clearly.

***Earlier before getting on the boat***

"Jude… What does this say?" I asked tiredly as I held the menu up to the teen.

"Uh…" He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "…Waffles?"

Immediately, I pulled the paper back to my face. "…Penguins."

***regular time***

Yeah, I felt stupid this morning. A very simple word. I'm still surprised Alvin caught that. However, I forcibly pushed that out of my mind. The group got back together after about fifteen minutes and finally set course to Sharilton. Or… Technically the forest, but they don't know that.

As we walked, Teepo danced around our heads, which was weird. Alvin would push the puppet away, Milla ignored him, and Jude had to protect his face. Me? It distracted me from the exercise of walking. My eyes stayed on the purple toy as it flew, and Elize would smile at me every couple seconds. Eventually, we all stopped, me bumping into the back at Alvin.

"Why'd we stop?" I groaned, rubbing my forehead.

"There's a check point over there." Alvin growled. "I knew things were too easy."

"What are we going to do?" Jude looked at the guards in the distance with uneasiness. I pointed towards a cliff that wasn't very far off. Alvin looked down at me and nodded.

"Guess you and your brother have passed through there?" He asked which made me feel queasy.

I nodded slightly. "Yeah, it'll lead us right to Sharilton. Except it's like a maze in there. And… Most likely a lot of monsters."

"Then our path is clear." Milla stated, already heading for the vines on the side of the cliff.

"But that's risky. What about Elize?" Jude interrupted the spirit.

She turned, obvious annoyance clear on her face. "You knew she'd face risks if she came with us on our journey." The two main characters had a stare down. It made me feel uneasy since these two are technically arguing.

"Um…" I began to say, but it didn't pull the two's gazes from each other. "I'm no better than Elize and I'm still coming along with you. If she gets hurt then I'll help her." Jude looked over slightly as his expression relaxed.

Elize even nodded in agreement. "I'm fine, really. I-I can go with you…"

"Don't argue, you guys! You're pals, remember?" Teepo whined from the girl's arms.

"The girl has agreed and Maren says she'll protect her." Milla turned back around and began climbing the vines. "This is no longer open for debate."

The medical student looked down at his feet as if he were guilty in court. I wanted to walk over and pat him on the back, but Elize pulled me to the vines. She looked up at me innocently. "Could you… Help me climb this?" She asked, and I don't know what made me suddenly feel confident. It could just be my 'older-sibling self' trying to show. I nodded and placed one of her hands on a think stem.

"You need to watch out for dead vines, and if you ever feel like you're gonna fall, just fall. Alvin'll catch ya." I smiled and she did the same. Teepo flew to the top and started cheering for the blonde. I had to help her up until Elize was higher than I could reach. Jude and Alvin walked over behind me as Elize made it. The three of us gave an applause as I started to climb up myself. I didn't feel scared… Maybe it was because of Elize. I have to act as a type of role model. At least until Milla gets closer to her or we get Leia to join.

_I have to, I have to._

I repeated those words in my head as I struggled to climb. But it was definitely easier than in the Kijara Seafalls. I was proud of myself once I reached the top. Teepo rubbed against me as Elize smiled softly. We now waited for Jude and Alvin to get up. As we did, I looked over at the Deepwood forest. It was dark and moldy. Already I could feel like there was something watching us.

When the two boys settled with us, we slowly made our way into the dark woods. Hopefully when we reach Jiao at the end we won't risk too many wounds. However, I bet that's going to be inevitable…

* * *

**And I have BIG plans for Sharilton. Oh yes, I do, I do. *laughs evilly* Anyway, for those of you who are following my Facebook page, you have a wonderful advantage! I've decided to give the DA followers a little bonus and the FB followers a bonus. Just to reward them for making me feel warm inside. For DA, it's rather obvious. You get to see my extra art and see what I'm doing in my life along with it. You also get to read the comics a little more clearly. FB gets to have pictures of a scene I'm rather fond of in the updated chapter at the time. **

**I guess I should do something for the people who do reviews, too, huh... Hmm... Maybe you could request a favorite scene of yours and I'll draw it on paper or digital of your choosing. (Digital will come with colors). These are just things to reward people who have given me courage to keep this story going~**

**Long note... Uh, so, see you in the next chapter! Please review to give me feedback with how the story has progressed so far!**


	17. 17 A Calm Walk

**Not much to talk about other than *sigh* This is only about 3,500 words or something. It's just... It's so hard to get passed 5,000 for me. NYYYYYAAAAOOOOOOOOO!**

**DISCLAIMER: I own Xillia? WRONG!**

* * *

"Quite a dense forest." Milla stated as she gazed the area. The trees were rather dark, and each had a lot of moss on it. You could see a couple vines here and there, but there were mostly monster tracks all over the place.

"Let's try to stick together, everyone." I looked over at the medical student who was skimming the trails with a worried expression. His orange eyes glanced back at Elize before making eye contact with me. I quickly looked away hoping that he wouldn't think I was staring at him this whole time. What if it actually looked like I was glaring? Or judging? Oh gosh, no, I hope that's not how I seemed.

We came upon an area that was a little widespread. As I looked around, I found a part that we would crawl through in order to get to the other side. I can't remember. What happened at this part?

"Eek..!" I heard Elize from next to me, and Jude quickly turned to his right. His hands hovered over his gauntlets on his side as we all did a stare down with a mean-looking wolf. It was mostly grey; green, spiky fur traveled from the top of its head to the end of its tail. What scared me about it was the size. Bigger than in the game.

"…That's a big dog…" I muttered, debating whether or not I should reach for my sword. I remember this scene, now. The wolf will turn around and most likely tell Jiao about our entrance. It won't attack us, but… Its presence still worries me.

After a couple more minutes of a stare down, the wolf just growled slightly before backing off. A shiver went up my spine as Jude eased out of his stance.

"What was that about?" Alvin voiced everyone's thoughts.

"Maybe… It was giving us a warning?" Jude's eyes went back to the monster trails on the ground. Milla, on the other hand, was walking over to the tiny tunnel I saw earlier.

"Well, Milla seems unfazed." The mercenary sighed.

Teepo began bouncing in Elize's arms. "I see a way through! Hurry up, you two!"

My gaze was still on the spot the wolf had been in. That… Was really a big dog. Its chest was puffed out and you could see the sharpness in its eyes, and and and… Gosh, I hope there's not too many of those guys. Don't they have some kind of poison ailment that you can get? Or is that usually the stupid lizards?

"Maren, we will leave without you." I heard Milla's voice and looked over seeing that Jude, Alvin, and Elize had already crawled through. Milla began her way and I ran over. The ground was packed dirt, making it obvious that this was a trail. As I was crawling through, I found it to be oddly quiet on the other side. I couldn't look up due to branches possibly getting tangled in my knotty hair. But when I stood up there was no one. I looked around cautiously, hoping that they didn't go on ahead of me.

There was a shadow in the corner of my eye. It wasn't in the shape of a human. My body froze as it crept closer. When I turned…

"ROAR!" Alvin yelled as he held up the purple puppet who was covered in leaves.

I jumped, stumbling backwards on my butt. "HOLY SHEEP?!" I shouted with confusion and horror at the same time. Elize and Jude peeked out from behind Alvin as Milla jumped down from a branch just barely higher than me. Alvin started laughing as my shaken body began to calm down and realize reality.

"Oh man, you really are jumpy." He let go of Teepo as the doll began shaking the leaves off.

"Did'ja see that, Elly? I was a monster! I'm pretty scary, huh? Fear me!" He kept shouting, dancing around Elize's head.

"A human's humor has always been confusing to me in books. However, now I see why 'pranking' is considered funny." The spirit smiled and when I looked over at Jude he was just laughing nervously. Oh that laugh. It's so cute-

"Why did Maren slap herself..?" Elize asked with some concern in her voice.

The mercenary grinned. "Probably stopping herself from thinking about Ju-"

"Teddy, help me up." I kicked the man's leg before he could finish. He just winced and looked down. The expression on his face annoyed me. It was like he was saying 'I've figured you out.' How dare you. Don't make it known to Jude that I like him. That would embarrass me for the rest of this journey. I couldn't live with that. I'd crawl in a dark hole and never come out. . . . Unless there were spiders.

When he helped me up, he put his gloved hand dramatically over his heart. "You've wounded me. Still calling me that childish name?"

"I'm a very childish person."

"Like Alvin isn't any different." Jude crossed over to my side as I watched the mercenary be even more dramatic.

"Even the young Honor Student has wounded my heart."

"Stop it! You're hurting his feel-goods!" Teepo whined, settling back into Elize's arms. We each began laughing until Milla started walking onward. Looking at her with awkward glances, we shamefully followed, knowing that she's not in the mood to mess around. At least not until the Lance of Kresnik is destroyed, yatta, yatta.

It was a little suspicious how we didn't run into many monsters. Except, I just linked it to Jiao being the cause. Maybe we'll run into more the closer we get to him. Linked… Oh, my Lillium orb. I need to ask Jude why a special move connected to me is with resisting ailments. Because something tells me in the back of my mind that it's not so special…

Of course, I did decide to ask. My hand reached up, pulling a little on the back of the teen's sleeve. "Hey, Jude." I began, "I have a question."

"Huh..? What about?" His gaze stayed on me as I walked a little faster to keep up with him.

"Well, it's about my Lillium Orb… What's your special move?" I already know it, but just to be sure.

He tapped the side of his head. "Oh, well, mine's something called 'Snap Pivot.' It helps me dodge and surprise attack an enemy at the same time."

"Sounds helpful, kid." Alvin placed his hands behind his head as he gazed up at the trees. "I have something called 'Charge' where I can power up my artes."

We each looked at Milla, expecting her to say something, but she didn't. I guess she still has her whole mission thing in her mind. I just sighed and said, "I think I got the idea. The orb says I can have resistance to ailments. A barrier of some sort."

Jude just stared at me, and for a while I felt like he was thinking that it wasn't that special. Or maybe there was something I was being stupid about. Except, his next statement surprised me.

"All the ones who are able to do healing artes have something like that. It's more of a… Special skill we all have." He said, scratching his cheek. "Are you sure that's all?"

My eyes were wide. I glanced between Jude and Alvin to see their expressions. Alvin seemed to be a little disappointed. Kind of like how he was when I learned I could do spirit artes. Maybe he wanted me to be like him. To only do artes that the orb provides that someone without a mana lobe could do. The thought of me having a mana lobe of my own still confuses me.

Jude, however, was smiling.

"I suppose I'll have to teach you. Maybe when this whole mission is over, you could come to the medical school-" He stopped himself – a slight expression of realization showing on his face. When he looked down, he continued, "Except… I'm probably not considered a student there, anymore. After all, we are number one criminals…"

"A dead end." We all turned to Milla, seeing how we suddenly stopped.

I looked around the area, pointing at the side of the cliff near a tree. "Look, we can climb those vines." Ugh, vines. When will they stop? I command thee, continue not for coming unto us when we must cross. Yes, scripture language. Or… Old English. Wherefore art thou, Romeo and such. My hormones will lead to the death of everyone.

Jude's head turned behind us. "Shh, I think I heard something."

Oh no.

"What's that weird tree over there..?" Elize pointed.

No, no.

Milla and Alvin both pulled out their blades as Jude equipped his gauntlets. What crept over to us was what was known as a giant tree monster. Basically a giant tree trunk with a horrifying face. It had nasty moss all over it with a couple mushrooms poking out here and there. Purple, dead leaves could be seen growing out of the top of its head. Its two long arms were stained with some kind of red substance.

That's not blood. I refuse for it to be blood. That is definitely NOT blood. The gagging, copper smell will not make me admit it.

"That whole thing is just one huge nope." My eyes widened more and more as it crept closer and closer.

"You sure like to state that kind of stuff." Alvin looked at me with a grin before reverting to a serious expression. "That's a dangerous one. Be careful."

I shakily drew my sword as we each charged. Jude made Elize stay back and hide behind a bush. Can I join her? I know what this monster is capable of…

Something wrapped around me as I heard Alvin's voice in my head.

_Cut your sword where the bullets penetrate._

"I'm not quite sure that's going to work!" I shouted, looking in the mercenary's direction. No, if I charge right in it'll definitely hit me. But if I stay back, then-

"Urgh-!"

"Gah!"

Jude and Milla had been sent flying the way we had come from, landing painfully on their backs. Before I could shout anything, it was both mine and Alvin's turn. The tree's wooden arm whacked hard into my gut which made me have no breath to even scream. I flew back, only feeling numb when the world had stopped moving.

"Maren!" I heard Jude before a pair of strong arms helped me up. Alvin patted me on the back, giving me a slight glare.

"That thing's got reach." He grumbled, looking up at the trunk. "It can hit all of us with ease."

Milla gripped her sword and scoffed. "This could pose a problem."

When we heard shuffling behind the tree Jude shouted, "Elize stay back! We can't watch you and fight at the same time!"

Wait this is the part where-

"B-But I…" Elize tried to argue, but Jude just shook his head.

"Please, stay back-"

"Jude!" I shouted along with Milla and Alvin. We had ignored the monster's actions. It thrusted its arm into the medical student's direction. My mind was frozen – silent. It was as if my body moved on its own. Next thing I know, I hear Jude scream along with the tree. Milla ran over to the teen, bending down. His left hand was holding tightly onto his upper right arm. When I looked at the tree, my sword was deep in its own arm. But that only made it more aggressive. When a blur of purple passed me, I knew Jude would be all right, but… Wasn't the monster only supposed to hit him down? His arm is bleeding… Did it… Stab his..?

"Elize, you…" I heard Jude's voice as a bright circle appeared beneath us. A couple flying things flew around us as the pain in my stomach subsided. Jude sat up, letting go of his arm. "You healed us." He looked at the little girl with shock, but that turned into a smile of relief. "…Thank you."

"Glad you brought us along now, don't ya?" Teepo bounced, his ears wiggling.

"Watch out!" Milla yelled, getting in front of Jude and Elize, putting up her purple barrier to block the oncoming attack. "If it's a plant, then it's bound to be weak to fire."

"Got it." I positioned myself. "The least I can do is cast since… You know, I don't have my sword."

Jude stood, stretching his legs. "I'll distract."

"Let me help with that." Alvin grinned and the two charged towards the trunk.

I looked at Elize and smiled. "Don't worry… I knew you had something like that in you. Uh… But stay back here, by me. A caster should never be too close to the enemy." Video game logic unless you're Pascal from Tales of Graces.

She just looked at me with her adorable eyes and nodded, watching the battle carefully. When I felt something wrap around me, I looked over at Milla. Right, we're the only two who can do fire at the moment. So that means…

We both quickly casted, shooting two spherical flames at the enemy before stepping back to back. Our arms got into position as we chanted. "Dance like dragons and damage the foe!" The two lines of fire spun around us. "Twisting flames!" We shouted, shoving the red mass towards the tree. The fire engulfed it, and the cries could be heard loud and clear. It fell to the ground to which Milla quickly casted Splash to put out the heat's form.

Jude and Alvin ran back over to us; Elize healed the couple scratches they had from distracting the foe. Feeling the adrenaline calm down from my arms, my brown eyes landed where the wound used to be on Jude's arm. His sleeve now had a huge tear in it.

"Elize, I'm sorry I doubted you…" He said, holding his wrist and leaning on one leg.

"To think a kid could have artes like that." Alvin's eyes were wide in Elize's direction as I just simply smiled. Finally, we'll have a second healer. But… I feel more protective than carefree.

However, the little girl began to cry as she held her hands up to her eyes. Jude looked a little surprised before bending down to her height.

"It's okay, Elize. There's nothing to be scared of anymore."

She sniffled, "I-It's not that…"

"You two are pals!" Teepo flew around Jude and Milla. "You two need to make up!"

"I promise I won't get in your way, again! Honest." The girl wiped the tears from her eyes as she gazed up at Milla. My mind went out of reality for a while as I stared at Jude's arm. I guess it's a good thing we'll see Rowen soon. Wasn't there a skit that showed he knew how to sew clothes really well?

My attention was brought back to Milla when she sighed, folding her arms. "Why do I suddenly feel like the villain?" She let out an amused huff as she smiled. "Fine. All is forgiven. I apologize, Jude."

He just smiled in return. "And I apologize, too. Elize, I should thank you, again."

"This is some serious friendship stuff right here! Level 99 on the friendship meter!" Teepo hummed, and I just began laughing. Oh gosh, that's one of my favorite lines from the puppet.

Placing my hands behind my back, I began to walk towards the vines. "Elize's artes sure are powerful. They could really help us." I stated, turning towards Milla, but stumbling back a little. Why is it that when I want to be cool I always mess it up?

"Agreed." Milla's eyes softened as she looked at the puppeteer. "Elize, I shall be counting on you." To that, she gave a smile in return. Milla was the first to lead us up the vines. I helped Elize with it, again, just to make sure. Then I went up with Jude tailing behind. Like always, Alvin was last. Now we start the real travel through the woods. Ugh, seriously, we might have to spend a night in this twisted place.

As we walked, Elize would begin humming one of the songs I sang on the boat. It would be very entertaining as Milla would start mindlessly humming along. The music that they were humming, which was a route theme from Pokémon, would be so catchy that Alvin would start tapping his fingers to the rhythm as his hands sat on the back of his head. I just grinned with amusement while Jude looked like he was beginning to feel awkward.

Every now and then, we would see another wolf. And each time we'd honestly get less and less careful. Around the fifth time, we just gave up on trying to defend. They really weren't coming to attack us. Though, it did get more frequent of their visits. Maybe we were closer to Jiao. Honestly, I would not be happy considering that he's a flippin' giant.

"I can't even see the sun." I heard Alvin from the side of me. When I looked up, sure enough, the trees blocked out the sky. There were a few patches of sunlight, but most of the light came from glowing plants. Which is apparently a thing in this world. Wish Earth had some glowing plants.

"Will we not be able to know when to go to sleep?" Milla stated, looking back at the mercenary.

"Nah, when we get tired, we'll camp."

I immediately sat on a boulder. "I'm tired."

"Okay, not that quickly."

"Psh, you're no fun." When I stood up, the mercenary simply pointed at the bag of supplies on his back.

"Nah, just wanting to keep the tent stuff fresh. You don't want to carry too much of one smell with these."

"Because the monsters would pick up an unknown smell as a threat?" Jude asked.

"Yep, most likely. It's something I learned while traveling around."

"I would think it would be the other way."

"Well, to be honest-"

I faced Elize as the two boys continued their little conversation. "Hey, Elize…" I began, wondering what topic I should start. She looked up at me expectantly which made me a little nervous. I searched my mind for any kind of topic but there was nothing. "… Nothing. I'm awkward. I'll shut up, now."

"Oh… Okay?" She tilted her head before looking down at Teepo. The puppet was still singing the song from earlier, and by now it was kind of getting annoying.

I think it was when Milla's stomach growled loud enough for all of us to hear, we decided to pick a place to camp. The light from the patches in the trees even began to dim. Milla was about to argue about continuing onward, but then I pulled out a package of preserved meats from the bag. Yeah, she drooled and caved in. Since I wanted to be of more help this time as we set up, I searched for as many blocks of wood I could find. When they were checked off as good from Alvin, I quickly put them in a campfire order that I remember the boy scouts practicing.

"Do you know how to light that? Easiest way would be with flint, but we don't have any." Alvin grinned. "And I thought you wouldn't know how to set up a fire."

"I'm a good observer when my brother would set up camp." I stood straight, holding my hands in front of me. "Oh, flickering blaze, burn… Fireball!" I shouted, aiming at the pile of wood. Except, the ball of flames missed and actually burned into the bushes not far from Milla. She just simply sighed, triggered Aqua Protection, and put the fire out. "… Alvin, you set it up because I'm a complete failure at life."

"So be it, princess of daydreams." He did a dramatic bow before walking over to the pile of wood and began rubbing two sticks together.

Jude seemed to sweat-drop as he looked up from making the food. "Maren, maybe you should warn us next time."

"Mary almost started a bonfire!" Teepo exclaimed.

"I keel you." My brown eyes glared at the puppet. When I looked at Milla, I almost wanted to poke her face to see if she'd even flinch. Her magenta eyes were glued onto the food that Jude was making. How pitiful that the great spirit, Lord Maxwell, has a weakness with food. Although, I'm one to talk. My weakness is chocolate milk. Just not the Troomoo kind. It's purple and does not taste like chocolate in anyway. Such a shameful carton of school milk.

"Hey, Maren. Look what I did." I heard Alvin, and when I turned around he was pointing down at the small fire with a cocky grin. It was his turn to receive my glare. From now on, I choose to ignore him.

Or call him Teddy with no mercy.

* * *

** With no mercy, indeed~ **

**Seriously, I'm sorry that this was a small chapter. Though it does leave you waiting longer for my big plan in Sharilton. MUAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**And people who are on Facebook, did'ja find the scene that matched the picture? XD Yeah, after doing that scene, I felt like the old me of writing this came back. The past few chapters have been a little bland, in my opinion. This brings the taste back!**

**Please leave a review for any kind of Peer Review on this story. Have a message? Just PM me!**

**Plus, thanks _cdpict_ for leaving a review almost every chapter XD I find it rather amusing.**


	18. 18 The Giant and the Ant

**I'm sorry this took a while for something only around 3,000-4,000 words. I was working on my other story Tales of Xillia 3: Progress.**

**Gotta hurry and publish this. My parents are wanting me to go to bed.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, and don't think I ever will, own Xillia.**

**()()()()**

The morning of the next day, we were trying to make some breakfast.

"We seem to be low on lettuce." I mentioned, shuffling through the bag.

Alvin was the first to reply to my comment, "It's not like we really need it."

"Of course we do!"

Jude tilted his head. "We need the lettuce..?"

I nodded and pointed at the pile of ingredients. "We can't have tasty sandwiches without lettuce!"

"W-We have onions..." Elize tried to point out.

"Ew."

"Mary's a picky one!" Teepo teased from Elize's arms. Once again I glared at the small puppet. Obviously we were having a lunch snack for breakfast. After all, I feel more accomplished when we have breakfast food for lunch. Switch things up, you know? But today the most terrible thing has happened.

"Lettuce adds to the crunchiness! The color! Unions would just make it be… Ew." I countered, and poor Milla was just drooling over the idea of food over all. Alvin looked at me like I was crazy—which I technically am—and Jude just had a nervous smile as he put together the meal. Eventually I gave in and let myself eat a lettuce-less sandwich. At least I didn't have to struggle and read a menu that I had no idea what it said.

After breakfast, we each went on to get fully dressed and groomed. It was tough to know if my hair looked right since I had no mirror. This was our second time sleeping out in the wilderness, so there's still some things I need to get used to.

"Oh…" I heard Elize from behind me. When I turned around, she was struggling to run her fingers through her long, wavy hair.

"What's wrong?" I asked, walking up to her side.

"There's a big knot, and I forgot my hairbrush…"

Looking at my own, I handed it to her with a smile. "Here, I'm finished anyway." She smiled, thanking me before taking it and trying to undo the knot. Let's see… What's another thing to do while I wait for the others? Eww, I have a bad taste in my mouth… Tastes like clams. I've had one before. Terrible food. But how would I get this out? I don't think any of us have a toothbrush. How does everyone else have clean breath?

"Teeeeeeddyyyy!" I whinned, walking over to the mercenary who was washing his face by the river. "I have a bad taste in my mouth. How can I brush it out?"

"Brush it out? You don't know?" He grabbed a cloth, drying off his face. I shook my head in response. "Here, I might have something." He motioned for me to hand him the item bag, so I did. He shuffled through and pulled out two greenish-pale sticks. Then, after looking around, he pulled a few leaves off a plant. He handed the things to me as I looked confused.

"What the heck do I do with these?"

He just stared.

"…In some ways, you're a lot like Milla." The man stated after a couple seconds of silence. I just stood there with an offended expression as he continued, taking the stick out of my hand. "This is a simple way of brushing your teeth. It's probably not as effective as what you have in mind," what's that supposed to mean? "But it'll at least get some of the grime and bad taste out."

"You still haven't told me how to use this."

He pointed at the top of the stick. "You need to chew on this part until it feels slightly like a brush. Then, you just crumple up those leaves, brush around that paste with this, and viola, your mouth is now minty fresh." He winked as I stared at him. This process sounds familiar. Didn't I learn in World History that this is what they did back in the 1500's?

At first I was disgusted, but then remembered that I've camped on the ground twice now and have drunk water from the Kijara Seafalls, sooo… What's there to lose? I've already done disgusting stuff before. Besides, I might have to do this in the future.

It was a very weird feeling.

From there on, we packed up and continued walking. I don't know about anyone else, but today was a day my body does not want to hike on. My feet began hurting within the first hour, and I could already tell it was going to be a long day. Since we were by a river for camping, I kind of already knew how close we were to Jiao. But there's still going to be a ton of forest after we fight him. Ugh, I want to meet Rowen! Events, go by faster!

We ran into more tree monsters and had a better strategy this time. Every now and then we'd even have the occasional wolf, but they were different that the one that turns around each time.

The most useful part was when Elize accidentally stepped on some special mushrooms. It let out a gas that I immediately backed away from as Jude and Milla began coughing. I looked over at Alvin who had covered his nose and mouth with his scarf. This is… Definitely different from that one cutscene.

"Wh-What the-?" Jude coughed out as he immediately tried to get away from the tear gas. Milla was trying to lessen her coughing as she wiped away the tears that kept flowing out. Her hand went to her sword unconsciously as Elize had to be pulled away from the mushrooms by Alvin.

When the gas resided, the mercenary looked over at me. "Good reflexes." He commented, grinning. "How'd you know that was going to happen?"

At first I was a little lost for words, then I simply cleared my throat. "I-I told you my brother and I came… through here… before…" I trailed off, trying to avoid eye contact.

I let the team discuss about the smokeshrooms while I suddenly became very interested in the dirt. I kept my gaze down there until Milla began walking again like nothing happened.

It was when there was a downhill path through the trunk of a tree that I began to feel nervous. Is that were Jiao is? Or is it going to be different than the game? What if we lose? Is there any possible chance for a broken bone? How much forest after Jiao? How long until Sharilton? Why do I ask so many questions?

"Hey, guys…" I said aloud and everyone stopped to look at me. "…We should be careful. I'm getting a bad feeling for what's on the other side of that tree tunnel."

"Is this your paranoia speaking or something else?" Alvin questioned, his gaze narrowing at the path ahead.

I shrugged, "Might be both."

"It has been a while since we've seen a green wolf." Jude mentioned, reaching up to tap his head. "Maybe we should be careful. This might be their den or something."

"I-Is there a way around it..?" The small blonde stuttered, now feeling scared at what's ahead.

Milla continued walking after a couple seconds of silence. "I don't recall seeing another path. We will just have to force our way through."

Jude shrugged, hovering his hand over his gauntlets just in case as he followed. Alvin followed as well, and Elize looked up at me with a timid expression. I forced a smile as if to say everything was going to be okay and I began walking down the path with her next to me. Near the trunk, Teepo's ears lowered, and Elize immediately ran up behind Jude. When we finished passing through the tunnel, a giant stood in our midst.

"… I sure wasn't expecting him." Jude commented as some of the green wolves surrounded us. We each got in a fighting position, focusing on the beasts as Jiao stomped over.

Elize seemed to get smaller as he came closer. "Wh-What are you doing here..?" She asked with hesitance.

"Good dogs. Thank you for telling me of these intruders." The man said and the wolves backed up only a little.

"Run away, little doggies!" Teepo exclaimed.

Milla gripped her sword, aware of what might happen. "I thought only Ivar could talk with animals." There's actually a lot. Let's see… Arietta, Aqua Man, another character of who I can't recall at the moment because I'm too scared to even move a single muscle…

Jude patted the young girl's back as he dared to take a few steps forward. "You're Jiao, right?" He asked.

"How is it you know my name? I don't remember introducing myself."

"We heard one of the villagers call you that. What is it you want?"

"Isn't it obvious? Come, child. We're returning to the village." Jiao got closer, holding out a hand to Elize. "I was worried sick. I never thought you would leave the village while I was away."

Teepo flew around Jude, shaking with humorous fear. "No! No! No! Don't let him take us, Jude!" And the small healer hid behind the medical student.

My brown eyes glared at the giant as I even dared to move forward, standing next to Jude to help hide Elize. "We're not letting her go back to that judgmental town!"

"Do you have any idea how those villagers treated her?" Jude joined in. He actually sounded a little more…angry than the game's dialogue.

Jiao just stood there in silence before replying with, "I am truly sorry."

"Just what is Elize to you?" Alvin asked, deciding to jump in. I swear I could hear a bit of anger in him, as well.

"Let's just say I know where she used to live, and where she grew up."

"Then take her back to her home." Jude glared. "Or are you planning to lock her up back in Hamil, again?" He can't take her back home. He destroyed that home and she was sent to Labari Hollow…

Jiao growled a little as his huge fists balled up. "That is my responsibility and mine alone! Hand over the girl!" All it took was for me and Jude to hold our arms up to keep Elize behind us. We glared, and I could tell that Alvin and Milla joined us. The giant grabbed the handle of his hammer, pulling it away from his back. "Then you leave me no choice."

"The bigger they are, right?" Alvin joked as the wolves around us got into a crouch position.

"Finally, a metaphor I can understand." I glanced around at the wolves before looking up at the yellow giant. I gripped my sword, pointing it at him but froze. What… What's wrong with me..?

No, if this happens, I won't be able to fight in the future! Just take care of the wolves first. Yeah, just do that. They should be weak to fire if I remember…

Jumping back out of Jiao's reach, I quickly began casting. It seemed like Milla had the same idea as she was using flare bomb—engulfing her sword in flames. Elize was struggling to find a clear place to stand with all the beasts coming at her. Jiao even tried to grab her in her struggle. When I shot a fireball at one of the wolves around the girl, it gave Jude a chance to swoop in and punch the palm of the giant. The puppeteer quickly ran over to me as I could see concern and confusion mix with Jude's expression.

Jiao didn't even flinch.

Instead, he grabbed Jude's wrist and tossed him in Alvin's direction to make the two unable to fight for a few minutes.

Milla, finishing her job with a couple wolves, charged at the yellow giant. Seeing a couple more beasts chasing after her I frantically tried to charge at them.

I'm charging at wolves.

I might die.

Oh crap.

"Demon Fang!" I shouted, making a huge gash in one of their sides. The other now had its attention on me as I hesitated a little. It jumped and I swung my sword to try and wound it in a way. However, being the weakling I am, the wolf's weight outdid my force and took my sword along with it as it landed – the blade stuck in its thigh. The beast was definitely angered. I began panicking, backing up as the wolf was stepping closer. It lunged at me with its sharp teeth and claws bare.

In my mind, suddenly an image appeared. It was flames. Instructions filled my head as I immediately side-stepped, pulling out my sword, engulfing it in blue flames. I could hear the pumping of my heart in my ears as I swung the flaming blade at the beast. When it fell, I just stood there as the flames went out. My eyes were wide, and a small smile began to form on my lips.

"Oh yeah, BOOM! Did anyone see that?!" I shouted with excitement.

"Way to go, Maren!" I heard Alvin shout from the side of me. I looked over and he held up his gloved hand as if pointing to something. "But giant at 9 o'clock!"

At first I was confused until I felt something skid the top of my head. I looked over in a panic, all of the excitement draining out of my face. Jiao pulled his hammer back up to rest on his shoulder as he got ready to do another blow. I jumped back, readying my sword.

However, my body froze, again. My mind stopped.

Nothing.

No reaction.

Just the memory of this giant flinging Jude off to the side like he was merely a stuffed toy.

He could do the same. Oh gosh. Move body. _Move!_

I tried to will my body, but it didn't dare to even flinch. I just stood there hopelessly as my eyes darted from the tip of my sword to Jiao. I was an ant. And a human life is on the other end of this blade. A human life. One with others who care for them, who has thoughts like me, emotions, friends, family-

"Maren!" I heard a shout from somewhere. Shortly after that shout I felt an unimaginable pain shock through my ribcage. Everything was a blur as my body felt light. Then, the pain came back but through my back. I had no feeling in my legs, it hurt to breathe, and my vision wasn't doing me any good.

I saw figures get in front of me as something familiar began. I couldn't recall what it was. There were dead wolves everywhere so the smell of blood just made it harder for me to stay conscious. Jiao stood next to the giant tree in the middle. I heard voices, couldn't make them out. A blue blur whispered something to a brown blur. I heard multiple loud bangs before the brown figure turned around to pick me up. Something covered my mouth as my body became light once more.

It was silent. I finally gave in to the drowsy darkness. All I could feel around then was the feeling of someone running.

* * *

"M..la, you…em ra..her…xcited."

"I'v…ever been…sked to join some…tea, before."

Slowly, the dark void around me became visible with colors. Blue was the first I saw. When I tried to lift my heavy head, I heard a deep voice from behind me.

"Look, sleeping beauty's awake." I looked over to see Alvin with his hands behind his head. He was grinning and had a few bandages visible. My mind turned its wheels slowly as I looked around.

Elize smiled with relief. "She's okay!"

"She's not dead!" Teepo cheered.

I looked over at Milla who was staring at me. Then she smiled softly. "You are not as fragile as you look."

I smiled weakly in response as I looked at each person. However I became confused.

"Where's… Jude..?" I asked in a raspy voice as if I hadn't spoken for hours.

"What, you think you're flying?" Alvin nodded his head as if gesturing to something. It took me a couple seconds to realize the feeling of something supporting me up. My eyes looked down at my legs first, seeing arms holding me up. Slowly, my gaze traveled from the arms to a back and then landed on a half of a face, looking over a shoulder.

The medical student smiled. "Thank the spirits you're all right."

"JUDE!" I jolted straight, my face burning at the realization that he was carrying me. His orange eyes widened as a look of confusion came over his face. Then it turned into concern.

"Don't move too much. Your ribs are badly bruised."

"I-I'm fine! Are you fine? Of course you're fine! I-I, uh, need to, uh, catch a cat, and, uh, umm…" I felt like my head was going to explode. He's carrying me, I'm close to him, ohmigosh.

Alvin walked up and patted my shoulder. "If you're fine, think you can give Jude a break? He's been carrying you for the last two hours. I think his arms are about to break."

"I'm fine, Alvin. You were the one who carried her all the way out of the forest. I can make it until we get to Driselle's." The teen looked up at the brunette with an expression of slight annoyance yet humor.

"Wait," I interrupted, tilting my head, "Driselle?"

"We met her and a butler at the entrance!" Elize smiled, seeming to jump with excitement. "She invited us over for tea!"

So… We're in Sharilton. Wow, how long was I out?

"Let's hope they'll even offer us a free stay. The sun's going down." Alvin commented.

"Yes, it would be very useful." Milla turned, walking forward to the bridge. "We would be able to get more supplies in the morning."

Jude looked back over his shoulder at me. "So do you want me to put you down?"

"Oh! U-Uh, um, I, uh…" Should I? Should I not? I doubt it's going to be often I'll be able to be this close to him… "Maybe I should rest a little longer. Unless your arms really are about to break. I bet I'm heavy, huh…"

"Not at all. You're pretty light for someone my age." He smiled and began following the group. Ohmigosh, I get to still be in his arms! Enjoy the moment while you can, Maren. It won't last long. He smells so nice- wait, don't think that! He might know you sniffed him and be disturbed! Oh gosh, now I know what Leia goes through… . . . Or maybe this is just me.

Eventually, we made it across the giant bridge and saw two figures standing near a light post. Behind them, not too far away, was a carriage. And behind that? The largest house I have ever seen.

The girl who I recognized to be Driselle waved at us as we approached. "We've been waiting for you!" She said with cheer. Before anyone replied, two soldiers walked out of the building before us. Milla grabbed her sword as her obsession with 'Rashugal Soldiers Must Die' came along. Alvin stopped her, letting the group of people walk out. A large man, not at big as Jiao, walked down the stairs. Just by a distance I could already tell how strong he was. Nactigal was intimidating, even at a distance.

Then the carriage began its way off. That path led to Bermia Gorge.

I looked over at the old man who I assumed was Rowen. "Have our guests departed?" He asked and I felt like shrieking with joy. It's an old Natsu.

Driselle smiled, nodding as she looked at me. "Oh! She's awake! I can't wait to meet you all properly. Let's go in for tea, now." And she began to lead us to the doors. As everyone walked, since I was still being carried, we saw another figure walking out of the doors.

My eyes widened as I gasped slightly. The silhouette was gentle, emitting a small glow from them. His eyes were a kind bluish-grey as his hair looked soft to the touch. He smiled and I almost felt my heart drop.

_Cline._

**()()()()**

**Well! How'd you like that? I have a great picture of Jude carrying OCMaren on my Facebook file. You should check it out! I was fangirling the entire time drawing it. **

**And what is this about Cline? Why does Maren's heart almost sink? MUAHAHAHAHA plans~**

**See you next chapter!**


	19. 19 Change in Plans! Hey, a Kid

**How long has it been? A month? I'm really sorry for the delay with this chapter! I... I have entered the fandom of Undertale, in case some of you have not seen my deviantart. Goodness, it won't get out of my head. Even while I was finishing this chapter up I was listening to the soundtrack. XD**

**I have also been having... a lot of ups and downs for the past few weeks. That also caused some delay.**

**Anyway, I hope this chapter doesn't feel too rushed!**

**DISCLAIM-er do I really have to do this every chapter? I ONLY OWN MAREN AND A NEW CHARACTER!**

* * *

The conversation everyone began having with him didn't make it to my ears. All of my attention was on the Lord of Sharilton. Flashes of scenes in the game of him went through my mind the more I looked at him. His joy, the meeting, his relationship with Rowen and Driselle…

…_His death…_

All of it. For a second, I couldn't believe we were already here; that soon, not only will Rowen join us, but Milla will lose feeling in her legs at Fort Gandala. No, I don't want those times to happen. I don't. I don't want to watch a death! I don't want to hear the despair that's to come!

"Maren, I think it's time to put you down-" Jude looked over his shoulder with a smile. But that smile disappeared as his eyes fixed on my expression. "Are you okay? You look like you saw a ghost."

I just stared for another few seconds before blinking twice. Noticing his concerned look, I just gave a smile. "O-Oh, uh… I'm fine. Don't worry. I just… Saw a swarm of cats and was over joyed so much I… Was scared?"

The concern on his face lightened only a little before I felt his grip on me loosen. "If you say so. Anyway, you probably want to walk on your own, now." And he let me slide down his back onto my feet. He smiled before following the others into the mansion. Aw, I wanted to be carried by Jude a little longer…

Out of paranoia, I looked at the rooftops near the building, hoping to not find any Rashugal Soldiers around. When I found it to be clear, I rolled my shoulders and walked inside.

It was like all of the houses in my neighborhood combined.

It's huge!

And fancy!

I followed Jude over to a small chat area were everyone was already settled. Rowen had finished putting down the snacks and tea on the coffee table. Is that a coffee table? My family's always called knee-high tables that. Or is it just called table?

"They're not worthless! I got a great deal, and I made friends in the process." Driselle smiled towards Cline, then Elize. The little girl seemed to be overjoyed that Driselle counted her as a friend. I went to go stand by Alvin who was leaning against the wall. It seemed fun, so why not? Jude took a seat next to Milla and I felt a little sting of sadness when Cline laughed towards whatever comment Teepo made. When Rowen came into sights, again, he bowed before Cline and walked over to whisper something in his ear.

The Lord's face grew serious as he nodded. "Rowen, please look after our guests."

"It would be my pleasure, sir." The butler bowed once more.

When Cline stood, he apologized for something that came up. "I must attend to some business of mine. If you will excuse me…" His clear, blue eyes looked to Driselle with a peaceful intent. Then, he put his hands behind his back, walking outside.

Alvin moved away from the side of me. "I have to go check something, too." He stated, and everyone looked at him with curious eyes. Or… Milla was still hard to read. "Nature calls. Better leave now before things get messy." Jude's face showed some hesitation before he nodded. Then, the mercenary set off out the door. Nature calls, huh? I'm sure there's a bathroom in the mansion-

Driselle stood up with a smile as she clasped her hands in front of her chest. "So, you must be on some great journey, right? You simply must tell me about your travels!" Milla tilted her head as the Lady continued, "I've never been outside of this town, before. I want to hear all about the faraway places you've been to."

"I've never been outside, either. But then…" Elize began and Teepo jumped in front of the Lady's face.

"Elly became pals with Jude and everyone! We crossed mighty oceans and explored forbidden forests! We saw giant waves and toadstools that made everyone cry!" I had to let out a soft snort after hearing Teepo's explanation. It was adorable seeing Driselle be like an older sister to Elize. Eventually, even Milla got into the conversation. Then, her curiosity about friendship came along.

Oh gosh, this was where she was inspired to give Jude a gift. That scene's always cute.

"Oh ho! It appears Lady Driselle has made some new friends." Rowen smiled, making his stance next to the kind lady. "Make yourselves at home. Help yourself to tea and treats."

"You don't mind me taking a couple cookies, then, right?" I asked, walking over to the small table.

"Not at all. We're providing it to everyone, after all." I looked up at the butler. Man, seriously, he seems to be… like a kind grandpa. It's a slight relief to me. So, I took a couple cookies, sitting on the floor. My ribs whined a little as I got in a different position, but the pain eventually went away.

Then, Driselle sat back down in her seat. "Oh, you were unconscious before. I don't believe I ever got your name." She said.

"Huh? O-Oh, uh… Maren."

"Mary saved us from meanies!" Teepo smiled, bouncing in Elize's lap. A slight blush came over my cheeks as Driselle's expression brightened.

"Oh, really? That's so sweet of you!"

"I wasn't really cool doing it… My brother would have-"

Elize's eyes opened a little wider. "Brother?" She asked. "That's right, you mentioned something about your brother back at the forest."

Driselle titled her head. "If you don't mind me asking, who's your brother? It's possible I might know him."

"Huh?" My back straightened. Why would she want to know? I doubt she'd know him, but… "His name is Timothy. I call him Tim."

"Tim? Oh, I know lots of Tims. What's your last name?"

"Lawrence." I stated.

"Lawrence? You never told us that." Jude mentioned.

"For the record, you don't give random people your full name unless they ask, Jude Mathis." I grinned. He just gave me an expression of "touché" in response.

I looked back at Driselle, her look of thought crossing over her face. "Hmm… Doesn't exactly ring a bell. What town are you from?"

"I'm a wanderer." I replied.

"Yeah?" You have to have so many other experiences, right?"

"My brother did most of them."

"Do you think I could meet him some time?"

"Not unless you know how to talk to the dead."

And the room went quiet. Oh gosh, I know they may be thinking how sad this is, but it's actually really hilarious how they react to what I say. What did I say to Jude when he first found out? He's being digested?

"I-I'm truly sorry if I brought up a touching subject…" She apologized, and I just waved it off.

"Nah, it's fine. I've already gone through the five stages of grief." He's actually still alive, just in another world.

When I finished my sentence, we heard the front door open. Looking over, it was Cline.

"Cline, why the unfriendly face?!" Teepo bounced behind Elize in shock.

His once kind eyes were now cold and piercing. I already knew what was going on, but the next sentence surprised everyone. "I'm afraid I cannot let any of you leave this manor. Now that I know it was you who infiltrated the laboratory in Fennmont." The Lord walked back over, two guards clad in green armor following. As he sat down, Jude's eyes of disbelief stared right at him.

"What are you talking about?" He managed, and Cline simply held up a hand to silence him.

"Save your denials. Alvin told me everything."

"He did what?!" The medical student's back immediately straightened as his already wide eyes grew wider.

Milla stood from her spot on the couch. "Now what? Will you hand us over to the military?" Cline would never do that. Besides, even if we were dangerous, Rowen would have already taken care of us, I'm sure.

"No," the elder brother stated, proving that my knowledge is right, "I want to know what you saw at the facility. Rashugal has undergone dramatic changes, ever since Nachtigal acceded the throne. Even those of us in the Six Ruling Houses are not told of his activities."

I looked over at Milla whose eyes were closed in thought and arms folded. After taking a breath, her magenta eyes landed on the Lord. "The military is holding people captive and draining their mana to develop a new weapon."

"Human experimentation?! He would go that far?!" Cline stood immediately, his eyes filled with shock and grief for the lives lost.

"If you want proof, you'll have to find a way into the minds of Jude and I." My head rested on the table in front of me. As I said that sentence, the memory of Professor Haus disintegrating in front of my eyes replayed over and over. Each time, it got more graphic—and as I felt fear well-up inside me, I winced even at the thought.

Cline stared at all of us before he took a breath and sat down. "…I'd like to believe you're lying, but all the pieces fit."

"So Nachtigal is the man behind the experiments? The King of Rashugal?" Milla asked, and I nodded along with Cline. That definitely caught the spirit's attention as she stared at me.

"It's hardly hospitable to keep Driselle's friends captive in our home." Cline began, the grip he had on his pants loosening. "… But you must leave this city at once."

As I sat on the floor, trying to remember what happens next, Jude joins Milla with standing up.

"Thank you, Cline." He stated, bowing his head slightly. Elize looked down with sadness as she stood up, holding Teepo in her arms.

"G-Goodbye, Driselle…" She said, Teepo shouting farewells with fake tears in his eyes. When I stood, I looked over at Cline. He seemed to mouth something to me, which confused me a lot. But if he for some reason needed to talk to me, then I guess I'll stay behind just for that. It might prove a chance to tell him of his death, anyway.

As we all began walking to the doors, I stopped and cleared my throat. "Guys… I reeeaaalllly need to use the bathroom… Lord Cline, is it all right if I use yours before I leave?"

His eyes at first had signaled that I had a weird way to pull away from the group. However, his expression grew kind. "I suppose if you cannot make it to another building."

"Do you want us to wait for you outside, Maren?" Jude asked, looking down at me. I could feel Milla's gaze on me, which honestly made me nervous to say very much.

"U-Uh…" I stuttered out, folding my arms and pretending to do the "potty dance" as I continued, "Just go on ahead. I'll catch up in a bit." He nodded, smiling a little and walked out with Milla and Elize. When the doors had closed, I looked over at Cline. "You, uh… Wanted something?"

"Yes, what Alvin had also told me was that you tend to have useful knowledge about almost everything." He stated, holding his hands behind his back. Driselle stood from her spot and walked over.

"Brother, what are you planning..?" She asked hesitantly.

He simply gave her a caring smile before turning back to me with a stern gaze. "Do you know about directions to and through Bermia Gorge?"

My eyes widened, remembering now what happens. Cline will try to save the citizens that have already been taken and get captured in the process. This will notify Nachtigal that he really is going to deny his request for more subjects and try to kill him!

"I will have you as my guide and protector."

"Me? A protector? But I have noodle arms!"

Rowen's hand got a grip on the Lord's arm. "Lord Cline, I don't believe that this is safe. You must rethink your decision-"

"Please watch after Driselle while I'm gone, Rowen. I'm sure I'll be fine." And his clear blue eyes looked at me again. "Well?"

I just stood, trying to mull things over. If I go along, I might be able to predict what would happen. After all, I don't want Cline to get captured, because that leads to his death. I may be weak, but I still have ways of protection. Maybe…

"… Yes, I'll go. I do know a few things about pathways through Bermia Gorge." I can't believe I'm doing this. What if I get myself killed? No, what if I get Cline killed before he's even supposed to be?

Cline didn't even wait for Driselle's or Rowen's protests. He already walked out the door, surprisingly a couple guards following. I looked at Rowen with worry.

"Please get my friends…"

And began to follow. After all, I was pretty sure I couldn't do any of this on my own, and I certainly don't want to completely alter the timeline. Let's just try to do as much as I can. Cline began walking towards the exit that the carriage from earlier had gone down. I caught up, looking at the guards nervously, but could definitely feel my blood pumping when I looked at Cline. Honestly, I regret agreeing. I want to turn around right now. Just say "you know what, I don't want to put our lives in danger. Let's go hunt unicorns instead."

… Yeah, I know that won't work.

Do they even have unicorns in this world?

"What did my sister and your friends talk about while I was gone?" The Lord looked down at me. A slight shiver went up my spine due to the sudden conversation topic. Yes, I get shivers. Deal with it. "She certainly seemed a little under the weather when I walked through the door."

I started playing with my fingers as I replied, "Well, we talked about our adventures so far, and then I mentioned my brother, and she asked about who he was, and then I said he was dead, and-"

"I see. She must have been wondering if you're the lost sister of a boy named Kade. He came in a few months back asking me if I could send a search party for his sister."

"Kade..?"

But Cline didn't reply. Instead, he brushed onto a different topic. "How did you like Sharilton so far?"

"Uhh…" I hesitated. "Well, I was unconscious for most of the walk through, but your manor is pretty cool." Let's just go with the flow for now.

"Oh really? I would think that, by what Alvin said about you, it wouldn't be a surprise."

"Well, it wasn't a surprise, but interesting to see up close, you know?"

We continued talking, conversations going short every ten seconds. But Cline was a very social guy, so he always found something interesting. I guess he was too good with people. I almost spilled out about something with an iPhone. Gosh, I'm so glad a monster had jumped in front of us before I had to go through a whole bunch of questions. One guard charged while the other stayed back to protect Cline. As I casted, I glanced around the area for the next possible path. If I'm correct, we really just walk straight through. There's just a bunch of twists and turns, but it should be easy to navigate. Right?

I launched the fireball at the monster, engulfing it in flames as the guard stabbed it through the chest when they could. Cline nodded approvingly at the sight and continued walking when he decided we were all fine. There were a couple more encounters here and there, but they definitely never happened again once the grass turned into dirt and sand. The wind even began to pick up. What was in the distance was a cave leading into a really tall, twisted boulder. I forgot what they're called.

Let's call it The Churro for now.

"I believe in there is where everyone is. That was… Rather simple. I apologize for bringing you along, Maren." Cline smiled, looking down at me. I just waved a hand, now becoming more aware. I don't know why, but I just didn't like how easy it looked. I mean, everything has proved to be harder than the game. So… I decided to stay on my toes.

"Be careful. I'm sure there are some guards-"

"More people..?" A young voice was heard. We all looked to the source, which was behind a boulder. "I-I don't want to hear more screams while I work…" At first, we were completely confused. But then when a figure came into view, Cline's voice was full of recognition.

He let his arms drop to his sides. "Kade? Why are you here?" This is the boy who has a lost sister?

The boy looked to only be a couple years younger than me. He had messy, green hair and bright, blue eyes. His outfit consisted of a long, dark blue overcoat with turquoise markings; light green shorts that barely passed his knees, a band aid on his cheek; large brown gloves and the same with boots. When I looked more at his eyes, his left one was pale and…glassy.

The adolescent teen just stood, staring at us as his eyes turned slightly red. He must be holding back tears…but why?

However, when he began screaming as he stood in place, we were startled. Cline and I tried to ask what was wrong, but the guards behind us were knocked out and strong arms grabbed a hold of us. This feels so familiar… I wonder where I've been grabbed from behind before on this little adventure. Hmm. Mystery.

Kade stopped, sniffled, and rubbed his left eye. When I looked at who was holding me, I wasn't surprised to see a female Rashugal soldier. A male one was holding onto Cline, except I think there was no need. He was more in shock at the fact that Kade did what was done. I tried struggling, but the grip was pretty good, and I was a very weak person. They began hauling us to the cave- wait, I said we'd call it a churro- and to the cell-like capsules. There were people screeching and groaning in agonizing pain. Some already looked like they were about to have Haus' fate. My brown eyes widened in horror as I remembered that they'll put Cline in there.

Wait.

They'll also put me in there!

I began trying to pull away more violently, the Lord eventually catching on. He raised his foot and stomped as hard as he could on the Rashugal Soldier's foot. The guard cried out, and Cline managed to pull away from his grasp. Huh. He's surprisingly skilled. When he stole the guard's sword out of his sheath, he charged at the female guard who immediately let go and backed up, raising her hands.

"So…" I began, rubbing my arms as I tottered on my feet. "…You're pretty skilled."

Cline just smiled. "A Lord has to protect his people. I've taken lessons from Rowen himself."

"Nice." I smiled, but felt a shock of pain go up my back. I stumbled forward, brain scattered as I tried to process what just happened. When I did, it was too late. A leg moved my feet off the sturdy ground, resulting in me putting my hands out in front of me to break my sudden fall. I looked up in a hurry, seeing Kade standing there. He had tears fighting to roll down his cheeks, a type of wrench in his left hand. How could an innocent child who's missing his sister do this?

Unless it's a lie.

* * *

**Is it a lie? Kade, how dare you trip me? ;~; Anyway, I really do hope it wasn't too rushed.**

**Now to work on my other story... Whew, Undertale, let me get obsessed with Xillia, again.**


	20. 20 All in 12 Hours

**Hey, look. This chapter. It has OVER 6,000 WORDS!**

**WHOOT, PEEPS! WHOOT!**

**Anyways, I'm really proud of this chapter. Hopefully you like it, too! Mueheheheheheh...**

**DISCLAIMER: ME NO OWN XILLIA**

* * *

Cline and I were forced into the capsule. When the door had closed, it felt like someone had hit my head as hard as they could with a hammer. I collapsed to the ground, holding the side of my head where the mana lobe must have been. Cline struggled to stand, but he refused to fall. At least I wasn't the only one down on my knees in here. There were dozens of people all around us, and in the other capsules there were even more. Each one groaned or cried out in pain. It hurt my ears so much and only made the splitting headache even worse.

I almost just wanted to sleep it off. But I knew that I needed to keep an eye out in case Cline's death comes earlier. If he dies before the mark Rowen would be even more devastated…

Staring at the walls just made my mind wander to the pain. It would be awkward to stare at people, too. So, I looked through the glass, spotting the one who helped the enemy. Kade had the left-handed wrench and was tightening a bolt on one of the capsules. I felt anger in the back of my head, but I forced it even more back. I might just be cranky from the pain… He seemed to notice my gaze on him because he stopped twisting the bolt and looked over. Directly in my eyes. Do you know how weird that is?

He stared for a while and finally made a move, rubbing at his eyes. His gloved hand let go of the wrench as he let his body lean against the machine.

He looked…sad.

I slowly crawled my way closer to the glass. My body already was starting to hate me, but I still raised a hand to pound on the glass. The green-haired lad looked up with a sniffle. The staring contest happened again. For a while. Eventually I had to look down because the pain of the migraine came back. My brain seemed to be squeezing something out, but whatever it was it was sharp.

When my eyes looked back up, Kade was already standing in front of me on the other side of the glass. I screeched, shuffling back as fast as I could without making my body want to shut down immediately. The young teen's eyes were down-cast. Then, his eyes flew up with a bit of hope. I have no idea what he was thinking, because he seemed to run out of sight. I looked up at Cline who was in as much pain as everyone else, except he still refused to sit. His crystal blue eyes looked at Kade with worry the whole time he was in front of me. I doubt even the Lord of Sharilton will know why the kid ran off.

But he came back.

In his hands was a notebook and a type of rock. Using the rock, he scribbled down on the paper and held it up. The rock must have been lead. However… I couldn't read the writing. My eyes squinted, trying to at least find something like English, but I failed. Cline seemed to read the scribbles and looked at me with an expectant look.

"Aren't you…going to answer..?" He asked, trying to keep his voice steady from the pain.

I shook my head slowly. "I…well…can't read…"

He didn't question me at all. Cline just looked back at the paper and translated, _"You…have a sword."_ His gaze looked back at me. "I'll read for you." He smiled weakly. I gave him a worried look because I'm sure trying to talk normally would drain more energy for him. But I couldn't ignore the kid's want for conversation.

I looked back at Kade and nodded, shakily patting the sword on my left hip. A small smile curled on his lips as he scribbled something else down.

"_I'm sorry I hit you."_

I waved my hand a little, shaking my head. The pain was excruciating when I moved more than one body part. I really want to fall asleep.

"_It's not like I wanted to."_

I stared.

"…_To be honest, I don't want to do any of this. Not even…"_ Cline gripped his head as he squinted to read the next few scribbles. I guess they were messy. _"Not even work on the machines."_

I tilted my head a little, assumptions already going through my head.

"_Nachtigal took my sister."_ Both mine and Cline's eyes widened. Although, Cline seemed to be more upset. Maybe he has more energy than me.

"…_He told me that if I don't help him, then he'll use her in the experiments."_ The Lord looked down. "This poor child…"

I was still a little mad at him for whacking the weak part of my back with a wrench. But yeah, I am starting to feel bad for the boy.

"_Please answer. Since you have a sword, you must be strong."_

I shook my head slightly.

"_I want her back and safe…"_

Kade, no, don't you dare ask me-

"_Can you get her back for me..?"_

I just stared at the paper after Cline finished the sentence. His gaze was expectant on me. I could feel the other people that were in with us also looking. To get his sister for him… I don't even know where she could possibly be or what she looks like. And even if I did find her, what if I ran into the King himself? I'm not strong… I couldn't even prevent Cline and I from getting captured. How can I possibly-?

"Maren…" I looked over at Cline. "If…you can't do it alone…I'll help you. And I'm sure…your friends would…too."

I looked down, hugging my legs with the hand that wasn't holding my head. Right… I would get help. But in the game…

No, befriending Elsa made me realize that this isn't a game. Not everything is set in stone, right..? After all, Cline had asked me to guide him which was already weird. This is real life. I'm sure we'll find her.

So I nodded, looking into Kade's eyes.

They widened. The white slowly started turning pink with tears collecting at the edges. He smiled and scribbled one more thing down on the paper.

"_Thank you…" _He hunched over, trying to keep the paper up. I could see his shoulders bouncing, his hands shaking. Soft clapping could be heard from the side of me. When I looked over, it was the prisoners. The ones who still had some energy left were trying to clap. Others just smiled in my direction.

Wait, _no_.

Don't _do that_.

Now I feel pressure both physically _and_ mentally.

After a while, when Kade could finally calm down, he stood up towards a button. He was about to press it before two guards charged in. He flinched, looking over. Only yelling could be heard, but no words could be made out. It was hard to hear over the groans and through the glass. The boy nodded towards them and quickly ran off. Probably to hide. But from what? The guards ran back out and the purple barrier formed behind them. It clicked in my head what might be going on, so I looked at Cline with full energy. Yeah, I can suffer through this for a couple more seconds. Yeah. Yeah.

He just looked at me with a confused expression.

I was about to relax, but the pain that had slowly become numb came back even stronger. I let out a cry, now gripping my head with both hands. Cline bent down by my side. I could see the veins popping out up his leg and on his hand. No way… Is that how fast everything is..? But…

I looked at my own body. It still seemed healthy.

I let out another cry, vision now starting to have black spots everywhere. No, no, I take that thought back from earlier… I can't suffer through this for more than a single second..! The groans and cries of pain seemed to get louder and louder. It was the only thing I could hear. The hand that I felt on my back pressed heavier. _Everything_ was heavier. I could no longer sit up, I had to lay down. No, I _needed_ to lay down. I could barely breath, barely keep my hands against my head, and barely open my eyes. All of gravity was crushing on me.

Then I felt like I was launched into the air. Flying. Dizzy. Eventually, I could open my eyes once more and found that Cline looked to be no longer in pain. My eyebrows knitted together. Something wasn't right. Why was there no more pain? Why did the world seem lighter? Why did I feel I was flying if I was still on the ground?

The people that were with us were running to the exit. When I felt it would be safe to sit up, I did. The door was open. Kade ran over and bent down, putting his hand softly against my back. No pressure like earlier. I was slowly brought to my feet. The boy then led Cline and I out of the capsule. My feet stumbled and my body flinched when I heard a shout.

"Lord Cline!"

"Maren!"

I was too dizzy to handle the amount of people surrounding me. I focused on Rowen who was checking to see if Cline was okay. Two firm hands grabbed my shoulder.

"How irresponsible can you humans be?"

"Hey, kid, you all right?"

"Maren, do you have any wounds?!"

"Oh no, everyone's hurt..!"

"Mary's dizzy! Is she gonna die?!"

The hands let go and were held out in front of me. A little bit of energy came back and I could finally stand straight. Everything still ached, however. I looked up to meet Jude's worried expression.

"Maren, why did you agree to bring Cline here?! You both could have died!"

"I, uh… Sorry..?" I shrugged slightly, still trying to put pieces together. Weren't they supposed to come in through the top of the Churro? And I feel like I'm missing some kind of danger.

Milla towered over me. I flinched slightly, slowly looking up to meet her cold gaze. Her arms were folded, mouth twisted in a frown. "You lied about going to the bathroom I see."

"Uh…"

"You dare to lie to the great Lord Maxwell?"

I almost wanted to snap at her. Tell her that now wasn't the time to lecture me because I felt too weak. But I let her go on. My mind wandered anyway to what was above us. There was a core above that cocoon… Right? Wasn't that the thing that both controlled the machines and what the mana was flowing to? Didn't the big, mutant butterfly sprout after the core was destroyed? How will we take care of that?

Arms wrapped tightly around me. I looked down, seeing the top of Elize's head. My hand reached up and patted it.

"I need sleep." I stated rather bluntly. Everyone nodded. Rowen seemed to already be helping Cline to stand straight even though the Lord was insisting that he was fine. We needed to check if the townspeople were okay, too.

Before we began our way out, Kade stood in front of us and pointed up at the cocoon.

"There's something above that… If it's not destroyed, Nachtigal will do this, again…"

Milla folded her arms. "You were the one who helped build these machines, were you not?" He nodded slightly. "How do we know we can trust you?"

"Milla, he turned everything off so we didn't have to have anyone suffer longer." Jude looked at the spirit with a firm gaze. "What's the harm in destroying what could be the cause of all of this?"

A mutant butterfly that constantly makes you dizzy.

She just stood, staring down Jude. But he kept strong and didn't even flinch. Oh gosh, I envy him sometimes. Then Milla turned to everyone else.

"If there is something above there, then how are we to reach it? I do not have the power to summon Sylph, may I remind you."

"Then perhaps I could be of service." Rowen put his arm across his chest and did a small bow, finally letting Cline stand on his own. "I will need someone with a far attack range." Alvin did a small salute and grabbed his gun. So, the two got together and Rowen framed his green "paper plane" possibly made of wind. He hopped on, Alvin following, and they went up.

I stared at the cocoon above us. "So, uh… I think we should be prepared for something in that thing."

"Why do you say that?" Milla questioned.

"Just a feeling in my stomach." I shrugged.

Cline began walking. "The townspeople will need some kind of guidance back to town. We'll have a head start. Do be safe." He smiled. Waving at him as he exited, we watched Rowen and Alvin come back down after a gunshot. Everyone began to have a conversation as we attempted to walk out. I kept my gaze on the cocoon above us. It surprisingly didn't move or sprout anything… Maybe the butterfly wasn't here in real life? It was just something to put in as a random boss battle? I wouldn't know, and I might not know. I'm in no mood to fight a monster, and I doubt anyone else is. Hopefully this won't come back to haunt us. Because that would suck. Big time.

But we made it out to the rest of the townsfolk; Cline was already trying to calm down a child. Kade walked over to us, greeting with a small smile.

"I…Want to introduce myself." He said, holding a hand to his chest. "I'm Kade Lumbei, an architect in training."

"Maren." I smiled, holding out a hand for him to shake.

Jude also shook his hand. "I'm Jude Mathis. This is Alvin, Milla, and Elize."

"Ol' pal Jude forgot to introduce me!" Teepo whined, looking as if he would shed a tear.

Rowen placed his hands behind his back. "I'm Rowen, the butler who serves Lord Cline. I can't thank you enough for helping us save him and this young lady." I blushed slightly by being called that. We don't have that formal tone anymore on Earth. And even if we do it's for insults.

The boy bowed his head slightly, holding his right arm. "M-Maren… Are you really going to save my sister..?" Everyone looked at me. After a couple seconds of trying to ignore Milla's harsh gaze, I nodded sincerely. The bright smile from earlier returned to the young architect's face as he gave me a tight hug. "Her name's Shyll… She has green hair like mine and most likely still has her pink dress on." He let go. "I…I live at the inn. Please come by when you have my sister."

When he was out of hearing range, Milla was right next to me. Goodness, spirit, don't just suddenly appear. "Is this something that will get in my way of my mission? Because if it is, I will have no choice but to leave you behind."

"I'm sorry, there was pressure, and he really misses her…" My hand reached up to play with a greasy strip of hair. I knew Milla out of everyone would be the most ticked off.

"Do you even have any kind of lead where this girl is? If she's still alive?"

"Milla." Jude stepped in front of me and did his best at standing tall. "She wants to help a brother get their sister back," he stated, "Isn't that what her own brother would want if Maren went missing? If he was still alive and we had Maren now, he would be worried sick and reach for any kind of help to get her back."

My gaze was fixed onto the back of Jude's head. He was standing up for me? And bringing in Tim? I didn't even think about the situation like that, but I will take any kind of strong excuse around now.

Milla was silent. She unfolded her arms, letting them fall to her side. "… If you choose to save this girl, then I will not stop you. We must hurry back to Sharilton and prepare to move onward." And she walked ahead to lead everyone.

"Jude, I…" My hand went up to rub my arm. A blush formed across my cheeks as I looked down. "Thanks… For standing up for me."

He just smiled. "No problem. Are you going to be able to walk on your own?" I nodded in response before everyone decided to make our way back.

I can't get the blush to go away.

It was a very quiet walk back to Sharilton. Alvin hadn't really said much when we left the Churro in Bermia Gorge. His hands are propped behind his head right now, so I know he's relaxing, However, it's still a little unsettling. Wait. Didn't Cline say that Alvin told him I knew more than anyone? Or is that just something I'm making up? He _has_ been rather suspicious of me for some time, so… Great. Now my head hurts, again.

The sun was now replaced by the moon for who knows how long. Wow, everything has happened in the last, I dunno, four or five hours? That's weird. I thought it would be longer. I wonder what the time is right now, then. Wouldn't matter because I'm both starving and ready to fall asleep. Thank luck that the cooks of the manor were already working on some kind of dinner. Kade helped the Knights find doctors for the townsfolk, and Rowen began to set up a dining table.

I slumped on the couch.

"Boy, do I just want to sleep for a hundred years…" I groaned, not even feeling like I had enough energy to breathe.

Jude sighed, leaning against the arm of the couch. "I have so many questions to ask you."

"Maybe you can do that over dinner..?" Elize tilted her head. Man, bless this little child for helping me avoid questions. Bless. Her. Soul. "She's tired, and we haven't had food, yet…"

"We're sooooo hungry!" Teepo whined. Bleeeesssssss.

I laughed slightly, wincing when my head throbbed. "Jude, dude, don't be rude. Let's listen to Elize and show some gratitude." …Wait, how many times did I just _rhyme_ Jude's name?

"… Was that necessary?" He asked, looking over at me with a slight annoyed expression.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to create a rap battle!" Gosh, he probably hates me! No! My life is over!

A soft chuckle came from the doorway of the dining room. Looking over, I noticed it was Rowen. He bowed, holding a hand out to gesture to the table. "I believe dinner is ready, everyone."

Quite a sight of food. There was salad, a meal, a main course, just… Whoa. I'm gonna get fat and be happy about it. I mean, seriously! Look! Steak!

I sped to my seat after everyone else had entered the room. Hopping with joy, I had suddenly gained a boost of energy and no longer wanted to sleep for the time being. Elize came and sat next to me which then followed Jude; Milla, Alvin and Rowen sat on the other side; Cline and Driselle both sat on separate ends of the table. Goodness, so organized. The food was passed around the table, conversations already starting. For a while, I just sat and chewed my food, listening in.

"Lord Cline's always seemed to spoil Lady Driselle in a way."

"Elize, you might want to take small bites. You could choke."

"How do humans know just what is food and not?"

"Driselle, we found something super pretty, today!"

The conversations were everywhere. I just enjoyed the food, attempting to cut more of the steak on my plate. When the room went quiet, I looked up with confusion. Everyone's attention was on me.

"Uh… Hi..?"

"Miss Maren," my head turned to Rowen, "Is that really how you hold a knife?"

I slowly looked down. The position my hand was in seemed normal to me. Since I was confused, I looked at everyone else's hand positions. They all had the same way that was different than mine – beside Elize and Milla who were being taught by Jude. My gaze lingered back to my own fork and knife. After a couple seconds of silence, I looked at Rowen with a timid expression.

"…D-Do I not hold it like a pencil?"

Soft laughter filled the room as Rowen went on about how the knife position can make a huge difference. He told me different ways to hold the fork, the knife, the spoon, and even a cup. Alvin was giving me a pitied look the entire lecture as I kept reverting to my original position.

I guess the church-etiquette dinners never really taught me how to hold my stuff. Man. I feel like an idiot.

Eventually, it came to a time when we had no choice but to stay in the manor for the night. I had no argument against that. So we set off to the two rooms on the left side of the stairs. The girls would sleep in one, boys in the other. You know, for dressing reasons. So it was just Milla, Elize, and I. Well, technically Teepo, as well. Looking at the room, we had a similar situation like Hamil. There was one bed and a couch.

I decided to be mature. "You guys can have the bed. I can sleep on the couch."

Like I thought, Elize looked up at me with a tired, yet worried expression. "A-Are you sure..?" She yawned a little. "That seems… a little unfair…"

"What's unfair is that you two are tired and I'm wide awake." I smiled, helping the young girl to the bed. My eyes looked over to the spirit who was slowly making her way near. She slumped onto the bed, lazily starting to take off her boots. Elize noticed and took off the jacket part of her dress. I searched through my bag and pulled out my old clothes. They were finally mended and clean—looking as good as new. I held them up to the young blonde after she sat Teepo down. "Here, you'll need something more fitting to sleep in." She gave me a drowsy look. "You can use these for pajamas."

I didn't even let her object as I already began helping her take off the puffy dress she was wearing. She tried to put the clothes on as well as she could, but I intervened when she would seem like she'd just fall asleep. Milla was already lying down, and I began to brush through the girl's hair. She was petting Teepo, trying to sit as straight as her body would let her. Eventually, I let her lay down next to the spirit and she was out like a light. I'm rather surprised I got to do that. After all, I've only just met her and she seems to have enough trust in me to change her clothes.

But now I'm alone.

And can't fall asleep.

Giving the room a quick look-over, I decided it would be cool to go out and see the stars. I didn't get the chance to pay attention to them much the last few times we've had a night. So, I quietly made my way out of the room when I decided everyone was asleep. Tip-toe down the stairs. Try not to wake the peeps. Don't trip. Don't step wrong and break your ankle.

_Doo~bee~da~de~doo_.

I pushed open the giant doors, making a slight creak as I did. Slipping out, the door closed behind me and I continued to walk on. A figure in the corner of my eye stopped me in my tracks. My brown eyes glanced over, seeing the familiar medical student in my presence. He was sitting on the steps, gazing up at the sky with a conflicted expression.

"We tend to rarely be able to sleep." I mentioned, letting myself sit next to the teen. He flinched, looking at me with confusion. It soon turned into realization and he smiled softly.

"I guess so. Have stuff on your mind?"

"Nah, just can't fall asleep." I leaned back. What's so familiar about this? I have a feeling there's a reason why Jude's out here. "Got stuff on your mind, again?"

He nodded slightly, leaning forward on his knees. Jude let his head hang down as he let out a tired sigh. "I'm just not sure what to do about Elize…"

Oh yeah. "This may sound weird," I began, "But I'm sure Driselle wouldn't mind having her. And if that doesn't work, I really do think she's strong enough to come with us."

"Even if she does," his gaze landed on me, "then what do we do after Milla's mission is over?"

Goodness, Jude. You're as paranoid as me. Can't really blame him, though. I have knowledge of the future while he doesn't, so… it can only make sense for me to try and push him gently to the next path. Right? That's not so wrong to do.

"That's why I brought up Driselle."

He stayed silent for a bit, looking up at the sky. I decided to join him and stared in amazement. There were milkyways, strips of soft glows, millions and millions of bright lights flickering in the blue mass. The moon was big – glowing. It was like the sun for the night time. Everything was illuminated in a fresh, blue coat of light. So this is what the sky looks like out of the city.

It's…relaxing.

"Hey, Maren…"

"Hm?"

"About the machines in Bermia Gorge… Did it hurt?"

My shoulders lowered slightly as I fixed my gaze on the moon. My voice was raspy when I replied, "Yeah… It was excruciating… I honestly don't know how Cline managed to stay up."

His voice was like a whisper, "So that was how Haus felt before he died…"

I stared at him for a while as I tried to scan his face. It was difficult given that the light couldn't reach it as he looked down. I smiled a little, knowing that I probably needed to get his mind on a different track. I moved closer, patting my hand on his back.

"Hey, so… I found out that Cline has some ability to kick butt when he needs to." I stated, the memory of the Lord pointing a sword to the guard's neck flashing through my mind.

"Really?" His head perked up a little. At least now I can see the color of his eyes. Then, he put a finger to his chin as he looked at the sky in wonder. "Though I guess that would make sense. He's probably the kind of person to go into battle with his soldiers."

"I was really surprised. I mean, he has good reflexes. Way better than mine, I'm guessing."

Jude was now sitting up straight. "Speaking of your battle skills," he began and I raised a brow on why he would want to talk about that, "From what we discovered in the forest, you have some skills to learn." Eh? What do you mean? I don't remember- oh, wait. I did a cool fire move on Jiao like a boss.

"You mean the blue flames?"

He nodded. "And your ability to heal."

"I have to be honest." I stated, giving him a bored look as I stretched my back. "I don't really believe you that I can heal. I can't handle anything like thinking about a blood vein."

"It's nothing that hard. Here, I didn't heal this when I got it along the Culmar Trail." He rolled up a sleeve, revealing a scratch mark that was as if it was from a cat. "I at least cleaned it, but figured it might be better to save it for you. Sure, it's stung every now and then, but I have a feeling it'll help you."

I stared for a couple seconds before looking back up at him. "…That is the most messed up thing, and I have no idea if I should praise you or scold you." He just laughed a little, making me feel relieved that he was now smiling.

"I think the most you can do as a beginner is just heal surface injuries. If you work more on it, you'll be able to start doing deeper tissue and muscles." He continued to go on and on about tips, pointing at certain parts of his arm where I definitely don't want to heal if it's _not_ wounded. Jude even mentioned what it might feel like when I start to heal just to help me not freak out as much. Eventually it did come to the time when I could try out the skill. First, we had to look through the lillium orb and find any instructions Jude might've missed. Then, I hovered my hands over the small scratch.

I let the instructions repeat over and over as I tried to act like I was casting. Incantations were flowing around my mind, and it was as if they coursed through my arms and out of my palms. The sensation was like a shower with the water travelling down my body.

I eventually stopped, looking at the now healed arm. "Was that good..?"

"You did really well for a first timer." He smiled at me, and I smiled back while resisting the urge to squeal. Goodness, I really wasn't expecting the ability to heal, so this is really cool yet weird. Then, Jude continued, "The blue flames you have, I'm certain, are your special skill like my Snap Pivot. You'll actually gain control of it when you feel you really need to."

"Sweet." I stated, now feeling my eyes start to grow heavy. "That answers…so many…questions…" My body leaned into Jude's, too immobile to pull myself away. My eyes shut, and my senses started to numb. I didn't even pay attention to the footsteps and familiar voice of a certain butler as I let myself fall asleep.

* * *

"_**It's been a while, hasn't it?"**_

_The space around me was blank with small, purple lights floating up from-who-knows-where. I looked behind me, a blinding light standing in a blue-ish space. _

"_About four days." I mumbled, avoiding the light that was burning my eyes._

"_**It was amusing to watch you blurt out the truth to this Milla of yours."**_

_Wait. That was in Hamil in the bathhouse- "You saw me naked?!"_

"_**Do you think a spirit really cares if a human is naked or not?"**_

"_So you really are a spirit."_

"_**I believe that was pretty obvious."**_

_I pouted, folding my arms. "Just tell me why you're visiting me."_

"_**You've really gotten less afraid since our last visit. How interesting. I've come to ask what you plan to do tomorrow. After all, I recall your thoughts saying something about a death being imminent." **_

_I just stared, not caring that I could lose sight by now. "…And what if I plan to not save that life..?"_

"_**Then the timeline would go as made. Less entertaining. And the broken hearts would remain."**_

_And the faceless smile flashed before everything went dark._

* * *

When I awoke, I found myself on the couch in the room the girls stayed in. I slowly sat up, scanning the area. The bed was ruffled up, the only clothes left behind were my old ones. I decided to get up to put a few of my clothing back on and stuffed the old clothes back into my side bag. Then, I made my way out of the room. The front door was slightly opened and I heard voices coming from outside. I noticed there was food on one of the tables next to multiple empty plates. So, my feet carried me down the stairs and I picked up the croissant and made my way out.

Jude, Alvin, Rowen, and Cline were all standing on the porch. In the distance, Milla was being dragged by Driselle and Elize to the square.

Oh.

_OH._

_SHOOT._

Jude looked over at me and nodded so that I knew he acknowledged me. Alvin had his hands behind his head, glancing at me with a sly grin.

"Miss Maren, you're up rather late." Rowen smiled, his hand resting on his chin. "You sure seemed to be comfortable against young Jude last night."

It took me a couple seconds to register what he was talking about. Last night. The talk. The lean. My face flushed a deep red and the men other than Jude began to laugh. The medical student seemed to share the blush I had. Slowly, everyone quieted down. Milla and the others in the distance becoming too tiny to see.

_Everything was serious._

Cline did a small sigh as he stood straight. "…I can no longer obey the king." He began, definitely grabbing all of our attention. "He uses his own people as pawns. It's time to stand against these tyrants. It is the only way to protect this precious peace of ours."

"Are you going to rebel?" Alvin asked, letting his arms fall to his side.

Jude took a step forward. "Is there going to be a war?!"

The Lord nodded, and I had this nagging feeling to look to the roofs behind us. Cline continued his conversation between him and Jude. Rowen's head lowered and Alvin had a type of sneer to his expression as he turned. My eyes wandered to the rooftops, glancing at each one consistently. The conversation kept going. And going. I was desperately looking for the soldier that was waiting for the right moment. I began having a feeling I was looking at the wrong roof, or maybe it wasn't going to happen, or-

"Will you lend me your aid?" I heard Cline say. I knew this was the part where he'd hold up his hand to Jude. Suddenly, a flash of red popped up. My eyes widened. _How will I stop this?_ Should I stop this? I'm not sure if I should change the timeline. Do I _let this man die_ or not? Do I _let Rowen go through grief_ for the second time in his life? Do I _let_ Jude get scarred?

The croissant dropped out of my hands.

"Disposing Nachtigal is in everyone's best interest."

I took a step to the side.

"We must unite for this cause."

My hand gripped onto Cline's arm.

"Alvin…" I murmured softly at first. He only turned his head slightly. "Alvin, the roof to the right!" My voice rang out, shaky, unsteady. At first, everyone was confused until I manage to sink my weight into the Lord. The sound of an arrow clacking hard onto the concrete echoed throughout the silence. Landing on the ground was painful. Trying to _get up_ was painful.

Then the sound of a gunshot went off and my head snapped up. Alvin had his gun pointing to where the guard once stood. I looked to Jude – his cheek had a grazed scratch that now had a line of blood seeping out. My eyes averted to Rowen who's own eyes were wide with disbelief, sorrow, and confusion all mixed in. Finally, I let my eyes wander to where the sound of the arrow clacking came from.

_It was laying still on the ground._ Only a small streak of black was left on the pavement.

"Maren, you…" the kind voice made me flinch. My head slowly turned to where it came from and stared with shock. It was like everything went still. Everything froze.

Cline smiled softly, eyes filled with hope.

"You saved my life."

* * *

**:3 See you in the next chapter. Go ahead. Put your questions in reviews. The possibilities this will go. ONLY I KNOW THE ANSWER! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**(Be sure to check my DA or Facebook because there's a piece of art that I am really proud of that goes with this chapter)**


	21. 21 The Death of One

I sat on the stairs with my head in my hands as everyone was talking about what to do. Even Cline… Cline was _alive_. He's not dead. I saved him. I… actually _saved_ someone. Now what? What will happen to the timeline..? What will happen to certain events? Or will all events be changed? I just don't know, I can't stop my head from spinning when I try to think it out.

Then, a green guard slammed through the doors. We all looked over with startled expressions.

The guard wasted no time in catching his breath, "Lord Cline! The Rashugal army has invaded town! Our troops are engaged throughout the city."

"Milla and the others are out there!" Jude turned so he was completely facing the door.

Alvin let his hands drop from his head. "Guess maybe trying to take Cline's life wasn't the only thing they were planning."

"We need to protect Driselle." Cline went up to the door by the guard. "Make sure the manor is secure and that everyone else is inside their homes. We cannot allow Nachtigal to gather more pawns for his experiment." The soldier nodded, quickly running out to inform the others.

"Lord Cline, you must stay here!" Rowen pleaded, worry written all over his face.

"You know as well as I do that I am capable of fighting. If they have anything disastrous going on…"

"I doubt they'll harm the townsfolk." I stood, clearing my throat. "They're most likely after Milla since she knows of the Lance. We need to hurry to the square. Rashugal couldn't have gotten too close to this area."

Everyone nodded after hesitating for a couple seconds. I noticed their gazes on me were of surprise, as if asking "how do I know something like that?" Out of all of them, though…Alvin's was the most concerning.

So we ran to the main square as fast as we could. You could already see the commotion half-way across the bridge, and it had me worried. The guards had already surrounded the girls, trying to keep them settled down as long as they could. However, when a man with grey hair (that I recognized to be Gilland) noticed us running over, they began to drag the girls to the carriage. Before we could even say a thing, the remaining guards caught sight of Cline. We stopped as they surrounded us.

My hands began to shake slightly, knowing that these guards were wanting to fight. Wait, we avoid the battle, don't we? Yeah, we- wait no, we have Cline darn it.

Everyone around me were pulling out their weapons. Even Rowen, and this had me concerned. Wait, so my suspicion is right..? We have to fight them?!

"Let's teach these guys a lesson." Alvin stated, getting in a stance and already blocking one of the soldiers.

"W-We just have to hit them unconscious, right?!" I shouted over the now noisy battle ground. When I spotted a guard getting close, I drew my sword rather quickly, but dodged them. I glanced in Alvin's way, whose facial expression grew dark.

_Dodge…_

Jude was slightly hesitant but hit the female guard square in the chin. You could tell he was trying to hide his emotions on the matter.

_Dodge, again…_

Rowen stayed close to Cline, but casted a stalagmite to ram right into another soldier. It sent them flying and they painfully slammed into a wall.

_Dodge!_

My sword moved as if on its own. The sound of metal against metal echoed through my ear as I looked at the figure before me.

_Blocked…_

What do I do..? What do I do?! I have no real experience fighting a human being!

A slight scream from the side of me. _Alvin had done it…_ A slight choked sound. _Jude did the same…_ Then just a really painful-sounding slap of matter against matter. _Rowen…_

"If you don't make a move, it's easier to me." The guard I had blocked raised his sword to bring it down. I yelped, feeling a familiar burn coming out from my hand and to my sword.

Cline's voice rang from behind me. "Maren, I know it may be tough, but it's either you or them!"

I don't like to get hurt.  
I don't like pain.  
I don't want to die.  
_I don't—_

In all honestly, there was no sound. No choke, no screams, no shouts… I couldn't even hear myself _think_. I could only see. The blood that was just barely darker than the armor; the blue flames going out; the stumbling and backward motion of the guard. For a split second, I swear I saw that soldier's face. His eyes were wide with shock, and his mouth did not close without blood leaking out. The sword that impaled him did not go with the body. My hand already had a death grip on it, and my feet were planted to the ground.

He's dead.

I stabbed him.

I took a life.

I took someone's son.

Someone's brother.

Someone's husband.

…someone's dad…

I was in so much shock I didn't even feel the concrete scrape against my knees when my legs gave out. I didn't hear the shouting around me. I didn't know there were even people around me, anymore. I was just…in darkness.

It all went by so fast. How… Why..? Why had I let myself _stab someone?_

My senses and sight came back when I felt my body become light. Alvin had picked me up, a hint of concern in his expression.

"Hey…" He started softly, carefully setting me on my feet. His hands stayed strong on my shoulders as he continued, "You did the right thing. It was either your or him." _That kind of logic is wrong._ At least to _me_ it's wrong. I took his _life_. He's probably taken more lives, but I don't care. There could have been a way both of us walked away safely.

_Cline._

Wait, that kind of happy ending _would_ have happened if Cline was dead. So in exchange for saving one life…we took four more. What kind of trade is that? Am I the reason these guards are dead? But there would have been so much grief and sorrow! Can I do anything right?!

A comforting hand rested on my back. "Maren…" I slowly turned my head to face the Lord of Sharilton, seeing the proud yet concerned expression. "It is indeed hard to take a life… But if you show that you care, I'm sure they will understand. Even then, the thought may not seem right. But when you remember the situation, what else could you have done?"

Not wanting to continue the topic with any possible outcomes of crying, I forced a smile. "Thanks, Cline… And Alvin…" My voice shook as I spoke. Everyone looked at each other, then we made our way back to the manor. They're going to do strategies, and we might pick up some supplies before we head out. I should do something to avoid the talk…

When we entered through the front doors, I looked over to Rowen.

"Where's the bathroom?" I asked, trying to hold back the tears that I swear wanted to start flooding out when I spoke.

He didn't question me and just pointed to the door on the left. "Through there, down the hall, and on the right. If you plan to shower, there are towels in the cabinets." Well, he obviously knows why I want to go to the bathroom.

So I made my way through the door, already hearing them start a conversation. I didn't want to listen. I want to zone off. I want to go back to feeling like I'm just here for the ride. I don't want to feel the blood on my soul. It was horrible of me to take his life. They're gone… All four of those guards will be gone forever and their families will have a grudge on me.

The door to the bathroom came to my right and I turned the nob. The area was lit up enough by the natural sunlight, and the shower head was located in a decent sized glass box. The overall color, like the rest of the house, was a type of marine blue with different shades of green. A glowing plant stood in the corner across from the toilet, and my eyes found the cabinets. I tried to focus more on the world around me rather than get swallowed up in my own thoughts. After all, do I really just want to sulk for three hours? Yes. Yes, I very much do.

It was a few minutes for me to stare at the shower's handle. I just don't know how to turn this thing on. Let's see, let's try the twist, first. . . . No. How about the pull? . . . No. What the crap. How do I turn on the shower? I scanned my surroundings once more and found a type of button next to the shower head. Goodness, that's really high up there.

So after multiple tries of jumping and hitting my head on the wall after slipping, I had reached success. The button was pressed and the handle was easier to pull out. The warm water began to flow. Just as I was about to start undressing, there sounded a knock at the door.

"Uh… Yeah..?" I called out, pausing my actions. "Who is it?"

"Pardon me for intruding," Rowen's voice echoed from the other side, "Miss Maren, will you be all right in there? I know your situation may be tough—"

"I'll be f-…" I choked back a sob that threatened to jump out. I waited a couple seconds, taking a deep breath. "…I'll be just fine. I'll come out when I'm clean."

"If you say so. Well, then I shall be on my way to speak with Lord Cline and the others. If you do happen to need anything just call," And then silence fell; the only thing I could hear was the water from the shower head hitting the tile. That sound itself drowned out my tiny whine I had let slip out when I knew Rowen left. My teeth clenched, tears fought to spill, and I felt as though I was being choked as I tried to not let any other whines of sorrow escape.

It's okay, it's okay, _it's okay._

You're fine, _you're fine_, you're fine.

Stop, stop, _**STOP**_.

I took multiple deep breathes, looking at myself in the mirror. My eyes, cheeks, everything was red. Feeling guilty for the way I looked, I flashed a smile; forced it bigger, more sincere. For a few seconds I felt a little better. So, I began to get undressed again.

I don't know how long I was in the shower. I zoned out a lot, but I still managed to wash my hair and body when my butt became sore from sitting. The warmth of the shower was comforting – like someone was giving me a hug. The feeling of the water pitter-pattering on my back distracted my mind slightly from the mental hurricane, but only faintly. The majority of the time… I prayed and struggled to wash my hands "clean" with the soap. I prayed for forgiveness, for mercy, for any kind of acceptance. I needed to repent. I needed to atone. I needed to do something more than just apologize for that soldier's death by my hands. But I didn't know how. So I begged. Of both God and the soldier. Taking a life is not acceptable… In any circumstance. Even if it may be a war, you still feel guilt course through your veins from the spilled blood of the victim. Why… Why did I save Cline's life..?

But a small feeling flooded from the back of my head. _It was something I could control. I would probably be doing this same thing if I killed someone during the war for my first time… _

_You had tried your best._

And then multiple songs I found relaxing seeped into my mind. For a few seconds I was at peace.

But then a knock sounded through the bathroom.

"Maren, I don't think you should be wasting water," Alvin called from the other side of the door. "You done in there?"

My hands wiped what was left of my tears from my face and nodded. But I realized he couldn't see that movement. "Y-Yeah, I'll be right out."

"We're about to leave in a few minutes. You might want to hurry."

"Got it, thanks." And I reached up to turn off the shower. Hopefully I was only an hour and not two or three.

So I turned off the hot water, slowly getting out of the shower. For some reason the room seemed lighter—more clear. It was calmer than before. I guess I just needed some time to think things out or something. You could hear the birds outside chirping through the window. I didn't dare open it though with soldiers possibly trying to find ways to get into the manor. After a few minutes, I was finally dressed and hair was combed through.

Everyone had bags packed and Rowen was helping Jude get some food supplies. I walked over to where Alvin was chilling on the stairs.

"So… Are we going after the carriage?" I asked, sitting next to him.

He flashed a grin at me, "I see you're out of the shower after two hours," I just rolled my eyes to try and keep the tears from showing. "…Yeah, apparently that carriage went in the direction of Fort Gandala. I assume you should know of it."

"O-Only a little. How long is it going to take to get there?"

"If we plan to go straight through, about one night's worth. However, I'm betting it's going to take two days due to the crossing being a desert."

I stuck out my tongue with an exasperated sigh. "Bleh, sand… Hopefully I don't get any in my boots."

"Only if you fall down or the wind is blowing." He replied, leaning back on the steps with his elbows. "I feel bad that the girls will have to stay there for that long. A carriage ride is definitely a day. But if we're going to take two…"

Jude and Rowen appeared from around the corner. "Packing's ready." Jude stated, then looked in my direction, "Maren! Are you all right after all the…uh…fighting?"

"Yeah, I'm at peace for now." He's worried about me! I'm gonna cry tears of happiness.

"Where's Lord Cline?" Rowen asked, looking down at Alvin.

The mercenary pointed a thumb to the second floor. "He said he needed to get prepared for the journey ahead."

"I suppose he does have to know about fighting others sooner or later," the butler sighed.

"Hey now…" the brunette held up his hands, "Are you saying the proper Lord knows how to actually fight?"

I shrugged, "He did some pretty cool moves in Bermia Gorge."

"Of course he can fight." Rowen laughed, patting the saber on his side. "I taught him, after all."

"What good is a leader if he cannot fight alongside his own people?" Cline's voice came from the top of the stairs. We each looked up, the Lord of Sharilton dressed in a different kind of garb. He had a greenish-blue torso with gold markings. His pants were white, green boots reaching up to his knees. Armor was equipped in every essential place—a sheath of a sword hanging off his belt. He began his way down the stairs.

Jude blinked, "Wow, Cline. I… I honestly didn't expect you to wear something like that."

"So cool…" I mused, eyes seeming to sparkle. This is new. Definitely new. I have to be honest, I didn't expect this either.

"Every Lord has a set of war clothes made specifically for them. I decided this would be a good time to wear them." Yeah, you actually look hot- "…Maren, you have this tendency to always slap yourself."

I rubbed my cheek. "Sorry. My, uh, mind is being stupid."

"Thinking certain thoughts?" Alvin grinned teasingly at me, patting the top of my head.

"I don't know, Teddy." I glared. "Am I?"

"Still calling me by that name, huh?"

"No mercy."

Rowen cleared his throat, propping his hands behind his back. "Well, then. Shall we get going?"

We each nodded and began to make our way out. There were no horses in sight, so we were going to make it to Fort Gandala on foot. Yay, hooray, whoop-di-do…

Hopefully nothing is completely altered any more than this now that Cline's alive. And hopefully I won't have to take another life in a situation that could have gone differently…

_Hopefully._

* * *

**Well! ...it's been a month. Two, technically. I'm sorry that I took forever on this chapter, and I'm sorry only 2,000+ words came out of it. Goodness, I've just had some, uh, stressful problems over the month. Not to mention it's the finals month for school. So, uh, yeah. Better some than none, right? XD**

**Anyway, for those of you who may not know, I've created a Tumblr. Same name: Mewnia. It'll be like a mix of the stuff I post on Facebook aaaannnnd somefanartlikeundertale BUT WHO KNOWS. Yeah, so, uh... See you next chapter? Please leave a review to tell me how this went!**


	22. 22 This Counts as a Title

**Eyyyyyyy! Guess what! Imma back to writing! Actually, I have been for a while. I've been home from non-stop vacation for two weeks. And guess what I did in those two weeks? MAKE THIS! It's not as long as I'd hoped for, but it's around 4,500 words. That's good, right?**

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned this, everyone's favorite fruit would be mango. **

Once we had reached outside of town, the wind definitely picked up. It wasn't violent, but was blowing enough to be annoying. We all trudged through the sand, keeping an eye out for any kind of monster that would attack.

"I can't see any carriage tracks," Alvin stated as he searched the ground around us. "Are you sure you know where you're going?"

"Do not underestimate an old man like me." Rowen laughed. He was at the front of the group; Alvin and Cline walking next to each other occasionally trading conversation; I was in the back of the whole group. Y'know, because I don't want to be asked about the blood fight.

Cline nodded, "Yes, Rowen knows his way around the fields surrounding Sharilton like no other. He'll be able to get us to Fort Gandala in no time."

"At least we have mountains." I shrugged. "Mountains really help me with directions."

"Really?" The lord looked down at me with an interested smile. "How come? Are they a major part of where you live?"

"Technically."

Alvin turned towards me. "I thought you said you didn't have a home."

"That's why I said technically, Teddy." But yeah, Cline's not too far off. It would always weird me out on vacations if there weren't any mountains. I live in Utah. I'm surrounded by them!

The conversation went quiet for the third time out in this field. My eyes kept averting to Jude. He was walking on the far right of all of us. And he…hasn't really talked much. I wonder why. Honestly, I feel like I'm missing something. But I don't want to really have a long conversation right now, so…

Cline had fallen into step with me and started out saying, "So, Maren…" Just my luck. "How long have you been using that sword?"

"Well, uh…" Shoot, how many days have I been here? "A little over a week, maybe?"

"Really? Have you done any training at all?"

"I did about three hours with Alvin and Milla. And I've been instructed with a few things during other battles." I looked up to meet his blue eyes, "Why? Am I not that good?"

He tapped his chin in thought. "Hmm… You're still rusty, but I'm sure you just need some training. Why not join me? I tend to train with Rowen in the mornings."

"H-Huh?" I stuttered, a little befuddled with why he'd invite me to do that. It would have to depend on _how early_ in the morning. Man, it's been a while since something has reminded me of Brittney's story. "I-I, uh, yeah? I-I'm not sure I should join you, but-"

Rowen looked back and gave a warm smile. "I'll look forward to showing you the ways of the sword, Miss Maren. You don't mind getting up at sunrise, yes?"

I groaned while Alvin laughed, "Good luck, shortstack. You can barely walk around at noon."

My brown eyes glared. "How's the weather up there, bean pole?"

"Oh no, she's out for revenge!"

"Darn right I am, Teddy!" I heard a small, stifled laugh from the right. Jude was covering his mouth with his hand. A cheery aura kind of radiated from him, and I felt my mood lighten at the sight. Yes, that's good. He's still able to feel happiness.

However, a hand stopped me from going any farther. Rowen had halted in front of us and the air was tense.

Cline grabbed the hilt of his sword. "We have some company." He muttered. We each got ready with our own weapons—Jude was a little slow. Okay, I'm definitely missing something about him.

In the distance, a couple warrior skeletons came into view along with a withered filifolia. When they spotted us we began to charge. Cline joined Rowen with defeating one of the warrior skeletons; Jude had the filifolia on his own; and Alvin linked with me as we aimed for the other skeleton. I was filled with a calm composure before I used a demon fang to at least get it off its feet. Alvin charged up his sword and made a relatively huge gash on the monster's ribs.

"Maren, do the final hit! It should be weak enough for you to crush its skull!" He shouted, running over to Jude to help him out. I nodded, charging close to the skeleton and engulfing my sword in blue flames. I'm short, but I can do this.

I just have to crush the skull.

Stab it.

_Just-_

When I raised my sword, the figure before me _wasn't the skeleton_. My eyebrows knitted together, breath catching in my throat.

_It was the guard I had killed…_

The armor was beaten, the gash where I had stabbed him was gushing blood. I could still see the face of horror behind the helmet. It was too much. My body froze, flames going out. I couldn't process anything. Everything turned dark. Numb. Frozen. Ending.

I must have really been out. Everything stopped being dark—stopped being horrifying—and turned normal. A searing, hot pain seeped from my arm to my chest. I could feel both cold and warm temperatures running through and down my body. The pain prickled, suffocated, throbbed. I whimpered, trying to sit up after noticing I was laying down in the sand. However, a hand kept me down. A small scream escaped my lips.

"Maren, don't move! Try to stay still!" That was Jude… I looked up, seeing that he was struggling to stay calm; his gloved hands were hovering over me. He was...healing. Is that why the cold and burning pain keep going on and off..?

Alvin cursed under his breath. "I shouldn't have let you do that alone…"

"We need to find a place to settle for the night." Cline seemed to be above me. Probably kneeling by my head…

Everything was turning numb. I wanted to say something, scream even. But my throat was sore for some reason. I couldn't find enough air to even breathe. The conversation that everyone began having slowly turned into mumbles. Fuzz or noise.

"We need to s…op th…bleeding!"

"…she might…ie..blood loss…"

"Maren…tay..ith..s!"

"_**It amazes me how fragile humans are."  
**_

* * *

Everything hurt.

It felt like I was floating through darkness, but the occasional throb would pull me back to the surface. My eyes refused to open. There was no hope in trying to lift my left arm. I still have no idea what happened while I was frozen in my own world. Maybe the others would know. They were by me from what I recall.

A cold, wet feeling was on my shoulder. It stung slightly, but was mostly relieving. Then a fuzzy mumble came from beside me. I could only let out a small groan of agony in reply.

"So…no spaghetti?" The voice came clear. My eyes shot open only to land on Alvin sitting next to me. He just laughed. "Geez, you sure have a weird amount of selective hearing." After a while of staring, he sighed and combed his hand through his hair. "I take it you don't have much of a voice?" I shook my head slightly, "Well, you did let out a pretty big scream when you got struck."

Well, that would explain the sore throat.

Wait… I was struck?

I tried to sit up in order to get a look at what was on my arm, but Alvin's hand reached to keep me down.

"Hey, try not to get up until I'm outta here. You may be covered with that blanket now, and I may be smooth, but, uh… I'm not interested in younger gals than me."

I felt my cheeks get hotter the more that statement sunk in. What does he mean? Shoot, it _is_ a little breezy under the blanket. I don't have a shirt on? Who took it off? Is it something to do with the pain? _Why the crap am I __**still**__ shirtless?!_

Alvin laughed once more, stretching before standing up. "I'll see you outside of the tent. Doctor Jude says you should take it easy, though. Try not to lift up your left arm." He winked, walking out.

Such a weird, weird man.

Anyway, I now get to sit up and get my shirt on, and finally see what happened to my arm. There was a wet cloth that I had to take off. It was freezing cold as I plopped it on the ground of the tent. I turned my gaze to my shoulder and hissed with a grimace. There was a cut wound lining from my collar bone to my bicep—purple, scabbed over, and slightly still stinging. There were a couple bruised marks so it was obvious someone had tried to heal it. Back on Earth I'd have to get this stitched up. Boy am I glad that there's healing magic here.

Seeing my clothes in the corner, I noticed they were my modern ones. The blue shirt was neatly folded on top of the grey sweats. I immediately grabbed them and struggled to put them on; it hurt to raise my arm, after all. Then, I shuffled through my bag to find a hairbrush. There was a ton of sand in my hair, and I needed to get it out. It would help me feel cleaner if I did.

In the time that I was alone, it just let my mind wander back to what I recall before passing out. The skeleton had looked like the guard. Why did my eyes do that? Or was it just a part of the desert? A chill went up my spine when the thought of blood came to mind. I had done that… _Me._ A weakling who would never want to _ever_ take a life. I guess there's just things on this adventure that's inevitable. I…I don't like it. I want to go home, I want to go back to being carefree. I want to draw, listen to music; at least do SOMETHING back at home!

My body moved on its own, carrying me out of the tent slowly. I held my arm that was wounded so gravity won't pull on it too much. The camp ground was quiet. It looked like the boys had chosen a spot where we were sheltered by the cliff surrounding us. I glanced around the area. Rowen was sitting next to the fire sewing what looked like my outfit; Alvin had a pot over the fire and was cleaning his sword; out a little further by a withered tree was Jude; and Cline was nowhere to be seen.

"You're up? That's a relief." Oh, wait there he is. The young lord walked up from behind me. In his arms were sticks and withered plants. Those must be for the fire. He gave me a smile. "Dinner should be almost done. Is your throat doing okay? You had…let out quite the scream when that monster got you."

I nodded and attempted to force out some kind of noise. "I'm fine." Boy was that scratchy. But Cline's smile still stayed despite the unpleasant noise. "Why's…Jude sitting out there?"

"Hm?" He hummed before turning to look at the medical student. "Jude volunteered to watch for monsters or Nachtigal's soldiers. You should talk to him when you can. I think he…needs to let some stuff out." And the Lord walked over to the other two men. I looked out to Jude and hesitated, but decided to make my way to him anyway.

The farther I got from the light of the fire, the more stars seemed to pop up in the sky. The moon was bright for being only a half. It almost felt like the time Jude and I were on the steps of the Sharilton manor.

The medical student was sitting on a boulder, the withered tree occasionally swaying in the wind. In his hand were his gauntlets. His eyes had a type of gloom to them and didn't acknowledge me when I sat next to him. He just slouched more.

"Jude?" I scratched out. His eyes blinked a couple times.

With a slight jolt, he looked at me with surprise. "Maren! You're awake? How's your arm? Why are you over here?"

Since I didn't want to make my throat worse, I only let out a small reply, "You're worrying me."

The medical student turned silent. His gaze went back to his gauntlets as I tilted my head.

"…Sorry." He said with a sigh. "I guess you could say I'm a little out of it since…" The sentence trailed off before Jude cleared his throat. "What about you?"

I shifted uncomfortably. "Me?"

"Well, you've lost your brother, right? And if I recall, you've never actually killed someone, before."

"How do you know that? I could have easily killed someone using only a grape and a mustache." I shrugged, feeling my voice getting smoother as I talked.

A soft laugh echoed from the teen as he shook his head. "How would that even work? A-Anyway… Aren't you…at least a little scarred?"

As tempted as I was to ask _"literally or mentally?"_ I had to hold it back. I can't always resort to humor at a serious time. Giving it some thought, I nodded in response. It confused me a little when I saw the student's shoulders let loose of some tension.

"Really? That's…that's good to know." He smiled. "I'm glad I'm not the only one who kind of froze at the sight of the monsters, today…"

And it clicked.

"Would you find it weird that I was a little relieved when I saw you freeze before the skeleton?"

How could I be so _blind?_

"I was still terrified and worried after seeing you get struck down, but…"

_It was his first kill, too._

I stared at him as he just smiled. _Boys have to play it tough. Boys have to play it cool. It's okay for a girl to cry, but a boy has to suck it up. _Those words kept repeating in my head. The in-game scenes of Jude's parents flashed through my mind; his forced smiles so far in this adventure; what he has just said.

I don't even know what to _say_! What do I do? How do I comfort someone? What I would I want someone to do if I was like this? I don't know! I-I've never…experienced this before. I don't have any idea on what to do in this situation…

We just sat there in silence. It was awkward, sure, but you could tell there was at least a little happiness.

But to my luck, something from the camp caught our attention.

Alvin was standing, facing us with a large grin. "Hey, love birds! Dinner's ready!

Both of our faces flushed as we quickly stood up from the boulder.

"I-It's not like that, Alvin!" Jude shouted, already starting his way over to the fire. I just followed behind thinking back on the conversation. Oh gosh. It was kind of gooey, wasn't it?

"Miss Maren, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were sunburned." Rowen laughed, already dishing up some food.

I just blushed more, hiding my face in my hands. I want to go crawl into a hole so badly, right now…

Dinner was passed out, conversation started, the teasing had stopped. It was just four boys and me. Dinner wasn't spaghetti. Alvin had lied to me. But for it being soup, I forgave him grudgingly. The fire kind of blocked out my view of Jude, but I wasn't worried. I knew he was feeling a little better after the small conversation. Unless I'm wrong. In that case then I am worried.

"Hey, Cline," I began, looking over at the man. He met my gaze, "Do you have any hobbies or interests? We don't really know you that well, huh."

He smiled, "I do like to occasionally visit the candy store in Sharilton. I would bring candy to Driselle when we were little." Aw, that's cute.

Rowen patted the lord's shoulder. "That's a rather short answer. The candy store was not all that you would visit."

"Where else would he go?" Jude piped in.

"Lord Cline tends to dislike being handed books that he hasn't picked out himself." Rowen laughed, "He would personally go to the library himself. Or how about that time when he snuck off to go fishing?"

The man scratched his cheek in embarrassment. "Oh yeah. You had to come by because I accidentally tipped a boat over."

"What?" Alvin looked up from his soup. "The Lord of Sharilton tipped over a boat?"

He nodded in response, "One of the fisher men mentioned something about Raon-sa. I…sort of lost my composure."

The medical student smiled, "Are you a fan of that sport?"

"A fan?" Rowen asked, shaking his head, "No, no, no. He's not just a fan. Lord Cline is one of the top three players in Reize Maxia."

As Alvin and Jude let out a couple gasps of amazement, I tilted my head.

"So, uh… What's Raon-sa?" I asked, looking at Cline for a specific answer.

"It's a game played on a large, open-air course. You have to puck a small ball with a club into a series of small holes in the ground." He replied, continuing the description, "The objective of the game is to do the fewest possible strokes to complete the course."

The gears started turning in my head as I imagined it. "So… It's golf."

"Golf?" Everyone repeated. I flinched back and just waved it off, saying it was what my brother called it.

With a few more comments here and there, the conversations started dying down. The crackling of the campfire grew louder as the minutes went on.

Then, everyone turned silent. Now we were just focused on our food.

Cline cleared his throat. "Does everyone know the plan for when we get to Fort Gandala?" We nodded, though I was still a little fuzzy. Something with knocks, right? "Good, then I'm sure we'll be fine. As for in the morning, I will be getting up to do some training. I know Maren has already agreed. Do any of you want to join?" The lord continued, looking at Alvin and Jude.

"Sorry, but I don't usually wake up at sunrise." The mercenary shrugged. "It's not my kind of time."

Jude let out a hum of thought. "Well… I'm in charge of breakfast tomorrow. I'll try to get up with you and watch."

I smiled. Even though I'm still dreading the part that it's at sunrise, I think this opportunity will be kind of fun. I'll get to learn a little more and possibly bond with Cline. After all, I still don't know his complete personality. And I like getting to know people.

"Well, if it's settled," we all looked at Rowen, "Then I believe we should get the rest we need while we can."

"I like sleep. Sleep is good for me." I stood, stretching. I had to keep my left arm down when it refused to go up. "Sleep keeps me sane and nice."

Alvin leaned back on his log. "Who said you were nice?"

"Who said you were, uh… Gosh, I have no comebacks." My shoulders slouched until I heard the soft, nervous laugh coming from Jude. A smile returned to my face, "But yeah, I'll be going to sleep now." And I turned, hearing a chorus of "good nights" from everyone. When I opened the flap to my tent, I saw that my other outfit was now neatly folded in the corner. Rowen, I need to tell you how cool you are in the morning. My legs carried me back to my mat to lay down. I closed my eyes…

But they just sprung back open. I tried to close them again, but the same thing happened. I let out a groan when I realized my problem.

_I've already slept through half the day_.

This is going to be one long night.

* * *

"Maren, I thought you said you wanted to train with Cline."

A hand was shaking my shoulder. I let out a groan as my eyes opened groggily. Jude was sitting next to me, the flap to the tent open. When my mind finished processing everything I quickly sat up.

"SHOOT!" Was the first thing I said. The medical student jumped back in surprised as he watched me struggle to stand.

"I'll, uh…let you get dressed," he stated, smiling slightly. When he left I immediately grabbed my newly sewn clothes.

I wasn't able to sleep the whole night that I was almost too deep into it that I would have missed training! Great, if only my body would work just like my mind. It should just suck it up and go to sleep when I say to! Shoot, shoot, shoot-

I stumbled out of the tent shouting, "I'm awake!" Jude looked over from the fire and pointed to the tree we were at yesterday. Cline and Rowen were there, noticing that I was finally ready. So, I thanked the teen and walked over to the two. "I hope I'm not late…"

Cline smiled and shook his head, "Actually, we just woke up, as well."

Rowen laughed, "The young Jude surprisingly knows exactly when the sun rises. He woke us both up and even attempted to wake up Alvin."

"What?! Juuuuuude!" I whined, slumping down onto the boulder next to me. The medical student just looked over and smiled.

"Well, shall we begin?" The lord asked, pulling out his sword. I looked over and nodded, unsheathing my own. It was a slightly weird feeling with how my left arm is. It's stiff, but I'm sure I can move it more than last night. And if I get any pain, I need to suck it up. I need this training. I need to get stronger for future battles.

"Miss Maren, remember to never loosen your grip on your sword. If it's ever loosened and an enemy notices, they will easily take advantage." Rowen announced, walking over to my side. He held my wrist of the hand holding the blade. With a tight squeeze he nodded slowly. "You must not be someone confident in your strength, I get it?"

I shook my head, "Nah, it's not that I'm not confident. I _know_ I'm not strong."

The old man nodded once more and let go, unsheathing his saber from his side. "Then you shall prove it. Otherwise, I won't believe that one bit." And he got in his fighting stance. I nervously also got in a stance and glanced over at Cline standing idly by. He was smiling, arms folded loosely across his chest. Both he and Rowen seemed to be calm—wide awake. I felt a slight tinge of jealousy spring in my head, but it wasn't the bad kind. It was…motivation.

Rowen swung his sword a couple times to grab my attention, "Are you ready?" he asked. I took a deep breath to try and calm my now racing mind and nodded. "Then it's your move first." So without thinking, I just charged. My arm raised the sword to bring it down, but before I could even hit him, something came from the corner of my eye. It was too fast that I couldn't dodge it. Next thing I knew, there was nothing in my hand.

"Loose grip." Cline stated now that he was standing in front of me; the blade of his weapon inches before my fingers.

A sound of shifting sand came from the left of me. My sword was now stuck in the ground.

"Hey, wha…" I stared, dumbfounded. "What the heck happened?"

Rowen laughed. "Something that is common in an open battle." I looked at him with surprise. That's common? "No battle is truly a one on one fight. Anyone can pop in and out. That's why not only should you keep a tight grip, but also aware of your surroundings."

"I'm sorry we did a slight dirty trick on you." Cline let his sword down, "But it really can happen."

"That's…kind of cool, actually. Thanks for teaching me that." I smiled, walking over to grab my sword out of the sand. "You two are cool, too. Like, way cool."

The old man smiled, looking like he was preparing another part of the lesson. "I wouldn't say _cool_ as much as…_experienced._ Now, onto the next part."

Eventually I had to step away from the two, making it back to the camp ground. My stomach was growling like mad and I am utterly exhausted. It was interesting stuff to learn such as how to block, directions to slash from, feet positions, etc. I had to keep repeating the block part, though. My grip seems to loosen too often, and I need to fix that.

"Done already?" Jude looked up from his plate of food. I nodded, patting my stomach. He smiled in response and offered another plate. We sat like that for a while, chewing our own food and listening to swords clashing in the background. My thoughts drifted enough to slow down my eating.

We're going to sleep once more out here or make it through Fort Gandala over night. It's possible, especially since there might be more guards in the day time. To run through that big of a place… Even I can't remember what to really do there. You have to find a key, right? I don't remember which room… And how long will it take us to get through there? Or find the girls? If we're late by any cause, then I know that there's something that just can't be avoided. I just hope I can make it to the girls in time. Because when we meet up with them-

"Do you… think Milla will be alright?" Jude asked softly, still looking down at his food.

I froze, the scene from the game replaying in my mind. It was graphics. This is real life. I almost threw up my breakfast at the thought of it. Torn and scortched pink boots, smoke, a cry of pain, and…

I slouched with dread.

_Milla's inability to walk…_

**/**

**And so we reach the end of Chapter 22! I've always pictured Cline to be a golfing kind of guy.**

**Please tell me if there are any grammatical errors. Please.**


	23. 23 Tread and Dread

"I don't see it."

"It's right there! I can't believe you can't see it."

"Alvin, I will spit out my food at you."

Cline and Rowen had finished training for the morning and are now eating breakfast. Alvin decided to wake up and join… While trying to show me this "legendary bug" he once saw with his "very own eyes."

He pointed down at a branch on a withered bush. "Just focus here."

"Okay."

"Now hold your breath."

"Okay..?"

"Close your eyes."

"Alviiin, no!"

He just chuckled, "You really don't trust me? It's not a trick, I swear in Cline's place! … And you're not holding your breath."

I just mumbled, doing what he asked. I guess if he swears in Cline's place I could trust him. Cline would never do a silly trick.

There was some shuffling in the sand next to me. Okay, either Alvin moved or someone just walked over. Probably Jude to lecture Alvin on how ridiculous this thing is.

Cline's voice came from in front of me, "Maren, look! I found the bug."

"Really?" I opened my eyes expecting a beetle or a grasshopper. But instead I let out a shriek, shuffling backwards, away from the thing that was in Cline's hand. A giant, harry, _disgusting_ tarantula! Just sitting there! In _fricken Cline's hands_! Just… Just… _Chilling! _How dare they even bring a demon like that five inches away from my face?! It could have spat out acid! Or bit me! _Or judged me_!

The two laughed, seeing me shrivel closer and closer to the medical student who was now looking at us with confused eyes.

"Jude! Juuude, they were being mean! Look at that abomination in Cline's hands! It's not even a _bug_!" I shouted, pointing at the spider species.

"Huh," Jude looked back down at his plate, scraping off a few sauce stains, "so that's why he picked it up off of the cactus."

…he's unfazed. What the flip, Jude.

"Oh my. Master Cline, have you found a new friend?" Rowen smiled, setting down his completely clean plate. What the crap Rowen, it's like you cleaned it yourself.

Cline laughed a little, letting the creature rest on his shoulder. "Yes, he was just sitting on the cactus all alone. I decided to pick him up."

"Is no one going to acknowledge the fact that I was almost given a heart attack..?!" I questioned, holding a hand over my heart for dramatic affect. "I'm an injured girl! Y'all are crazy!"

Alvin snorted, "You're the one who fell for it in the first place, daydreamer."

"Teddy."

"Princess."

"Beanpole."

"Shortstack."

Jude sighed. "Okay, I think you two need a break from each other."

"He hurt mah feewings!" I sobbed dramatically.

The medical student put on an amused smile, "if there wasn't an age difference the size of the Talim Medical School, I'd say you two were a couple. But I guess it's more like siblings."

"Aw come on, buddy," Alvin smirked, "you know I'm not the sibling type."

I just folded my arms, "If anything, you two are the siblings…"

The wind blew by, kicking up some sand at our faces. Rowen brushed off whatever grains had managed to get on him and stood up. "As comical as this scene may be, I'm afraid we must get back to business." He picked up his plate, Cline and Alvin made their way back over to the campground to help clean up. I pouted, knowing that it was time to go. No silliness from here on out. It's all serious. So I got up and helped with as much as I could manage with my handicap. Nothing much to do from there. I mean, once we got everything packed up, and all of us were properly dressed—

"Use the bush to change."

"Maren, you know you can just look away-"

"THE _BUSH._"

—we made our way back on track. To Fort Gandala… yay…

It was a quiet walk. All you could hear were the breaths of everyone's exhaustion and heat-coping ways. It's pretty hot out here. When the sun had reached its highest point, all the boys pulled off their extra layers. I couldn't. All I had was a jumpsuit underneath. This is messed up.

"Man, why did we have to cross this stupid dessert..?" Alvin complained, tying his jacket around his waist and unbuttoning his shirt a little ways.

You look like a drunk man, bro.

"They don't expect travelers to cross this land during the daytime," Rowen looked back, his own jacket layer tied around his waist. "Do not worry. Though it may be unbearable, we will reach Fort Gandala around night time. Not only will it be cooler, but there will be more guards in the front than inside."

Jude stuffed his gloves into his pocket, ripping his jacket off. "This heat… I understand why they wouldn't expect anyone. But why would there be more at the front?" He ran his hand through his hair to stop it from sticking.

Cline was holding the sweater that was supposed to be under his armor, "because they expect travelers at night. From the front and back."

"But we're going in the side." Rowen smiled.

I sighed, mumbling under my breath, "After all the struggle of convincing you to change behind a bush…you're probably going to strip at any moment." I thought for a second, "Actually I wouldn't mind that with Ju-"

"What was that?" Jude looked back at me, blinking with unawareness.

"Nothing!" I shot out.

The unawareness twisted into concern and he asked, "Are you getting sunburned? It looks pretty bad."

"Huh?" I blanked. The teen pointed at his cheek and scalp to indicate where he was talking about. "O-Oh! Uh, well let's just not stay out in the sun too long! Sunburns bring you closer to cancer after all!" I laughed awkwardly.

We treaded the desert for about three more hours. In the _sun_.

I'm going to be very unhappy for the next couple weeks.

Luckily clouds would pop up in the sky every thirty minutes or so. And by the time we could see the fort in the distance, we had to wander near a cliff edge. It not only provided shade, but kept us hidden easier. Rowen led us up the sandy hill, trudging and struggling through the orange and yellow grains. The only thing keeping me from openly complaining was the rhythm I found in our steps; my boots would also slip a couple times, and I had to refrain from laughing at my clumsy self.

The top of Fort Gandala was on equal ground with us. Army-crawling to a convenient boulder kept our group from being spotted from anyone who could be on the roof.

As Rowan began spilling the plan, I was assigned watch. I laid on my stomach in the scorching sand. If I saw someone who spotted us I would shift my right leg twice. If the sand was about to burn my skin off to the point I would die then I would pound my left foot three times. It was very tempting to do so.

The sun began setting, and I found it to be bearable to use my aqua protection on myself. I was in a pool of cool water as the others sat in the shade.

I'm really going to be sunburned tomorrow.

I heard the sand shift in my direction. Alvin bent down and whispered, "Hey, you ready?" I turned to him and nodded my head, and we both shifted over to an opening in the side of the building. Jude was already climbing into the vent.

Rowen held a finger up to his mouth and I nodded in response. Faint taps could be heard. Cline wasn't with us, but his head poked out of the vent, so that answered that. He motioned for us to follow him and Jude further in. The Morse code must have worked. The young lord helped to pull me up, then Rowen, then Alvin. On we went, crawling through the crowded hole and slowly lowered ourselves down to the ground. There was a guard waiting for us with two others, the air seeming dense and suspicious. It was as if it was suffocating my thoughts.

Cline walked over, shaking the armorman's hand. "You have our gratitude for this. Please, tell us where the girls are and any details that may be necessary. We must hurry."

He saluted, "Of course. Lady Driselle and the others are locked in a cell on the second floor. However, all the prisoners have had their legs bound with Hex shackles," I winced at the word, glancing to the red fields on the right of us, "so if any of them pass these boundaries they will explode. It may be strong enough to kill someone."

"Sounds dangerous." Alvin commented, folding his arms. He was contemplating something, but I couldn't tell what.

Jude walked carefully up to the field, his hand safely fazing through it. "So… Even if we get them out of their cells, they still can't escape unless we disable the shackles."

"Correct," Rowen replied. However, he then propped his hands behind his back; his expression cold. "But it would take too long to track down the key holder. Our best bet is to find the control room, first."

Cline smiled, "To deactivate the security system."

I leaned on one leg, playing with the tip of my sword's scabbard. In response, I stated with mild amusement, "If we run into the keyholder in the process, I'm gonna laugh." And I will. Because it'll happen . . . hopefully.

The guard shifted uneasily, "About that… We've been unable to locate the control room. I'm sorry, Lord Cline."

"Don't worry," he chimed, patting the soldier's shoulder, "you've done enough. We'll take it from here."

"I would say the same thing," Jude smiled.

Alvin's arms dropped to his sides as he cleared his throat. "Not to put the cart before the horse, but we should think of a way out of here." He then gestured to the carriages behind and on the other side of the building.

The young lord received what I believe to be a key from the guard. He turned towards the mercenary and smiled, "You say that as if I came unprepared."

What does he mean by-

"I ordered a carriage ahead of time."

…_you are smarter than I tagged you to be._

From there, the guards had separated to opposite ends of the hallway, letting us have a time to really converse.

"It'll be too dangerous to move in this big of a group." The old man pointed out, looking around at the five of us. With a scratch at his beard, he pointed to me and Cline. "Could you two go the opposite way than us? It'll be a distraction. By taking into account of the attempt of assassination of Lord Cline, they will see you as the major target. He's never fought once in front of Rashugal soldiers, so they will come in small numbers. That way, we'll have more time to search for the control room."

I felt my stomach both sink and fill with butterflies. He trusts me with Cline. _**He trusts**__**me with Cline**_. You have to be honest, this is probably the most honorable thing but also the most pressuring.

Before I could protest, the young lord nodded in agreement, putting his hand firmly on my shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll keep them distracted from you."

This is such a different turn.

"Sounds good to me," Alvin shrugged, "I bet fifty gald that shortstack's the first one to die."

Cline waved his hand dismissively. "If anyone would die, it would be me. Maren exceeds my own skills."

I blinked at him, "…you didn't even question who shortstack was. How dare you." I looked away, blushing with flattery, "and I'm not even half as good as you."

He just smiled supportively, handing the key to Rowen.

The old man then led Jude and Alvin through the first door. Cline and I looked at the one on the opposite side of the room.

"…welp, too late to turn around, now. I don't want Alvin to win that fifty gald, so let's play a game of duck duck goose."

"First something called golf and now duck duck goose. You're very creative." He commented, leading me to the door and opening it. There were crates in front and another door to the right. "Hm… This may be the same with the way the other's went. To go through the door would be a quiet direction."

"… but we don't want to be quiet, right?"

"Right." He smiled, already lifting himself up over the crates. I stared at him before shrugging and following suit with a 'screw it' kind of mood. Being visible to the whole bridged area, our first battle is already charging right at us. We prepared our weapons.

* * *

**eyyy, so yeah. It's been a while. 'Sup?  
Anyway, I'm sorry I took so long. The mood that I had left over from school wasn't really the best, so I only ever wanted to draw. It also explains why this chapter is rather short. But next semester is going to have a couple more classes that I'm happy to be taking, so hopefully I'll be in better moods!**

**Also, remember to look at my tumblr, DA, and Facebook accounts for this chapter's picture! Merry Christmas, my friends!**


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